Sunderland fans fume at Lee Johnson’s rude gesture to supporters after the final whistle of their 1-1 draw against Oxford United.
The Black Cats failed an opportunity to move level on points with League One leaders Rotherham after being held to a 1-1 draw by Karl Robinson’s side.
The U’s came from behind to climb to 7th in the table by extending their unbeaten run to seven matches to stay firmly in the promotion mix themselves.
Sunderland, who now unbeaten in four matches, made the best start when young German Leon Dajaku beat his man and sent the ball past goalkeeper Simon Eastwood by the 8th minute.
Eastwood, Anthony Forde, Elliott Moore and Matty Taylor were all back for the visitors after the club suffered a Covid crisis.
Taylor made the most of his return by levelling the scoreline nine minutes before half time striking the ball low and inside the far post.
After the restart Ross Stewart went on to hit the bar and headed into Eastwood’s arms before Nathan Broadhead rattled the post for Sunderland with the home fans growing increasingly frustrated.
Oxford substitute Dan Agyei almost got a winner when Gooch produced a lazy pass, but was denied by Hoffmann and the Sunderland went hope feeling like it’s two points dropped.
Sunderland fans took to fume at Lee Johnson’s rude gesture to supporters after the final whistle blew. It’s claimed a fan told the manager to leave the club and Johnson replied back with a V-sign.
All todays drama over this? Really? pic.twitter.com/ePGTmr4jj1
— Eddy Bamber (@EdBamber) December 4, 2021
“The commitment and effort was there,” Johnson said after the game.
“We had a lot of academy graduates involved today which is a nice narrative, but on the flip side it shows our plight with injuries and we have players out of position.
“I think you have to credit our boys for how hard they’ve worked in that situation, and another day they could have won comfortably against a vey good Oxford side.
“They caused us problems in the first half, so we flipped the shape for the second. We decided to put a different square peg in a round hole which was Bailey Wright at right back, which I thought worked.
“We just couldn’t get the ball over the line, whether it be good goalkeeping or just not having quite that finish.
“I was pleased with our performance in the second half.
“It’s a tight league as you can see from the table, you’ve got to be consistent and creative and do everything you can to score two or three.
“I actually thought we did enough today to do that, but we couldn’t convert.”
“There was a shape change at half-time, we put Bailey Wright at right-back and pushed Leon Dajaku up to right midfield and dropped Lynden Gooch to left-back,” Johnson said.
“That’s why you have to give these boys credit, because that’s Dajaku playing out of position and scoring a goal, Gooch having to play right side and then left side, and then Bailey Wright slotting in at right-back despite being on a booking which made it a bit risky, but these are the things at the moment we have to do.
“I was positive with the players both at half-time and at the end of the game because I know how much they are putting in and how much effort they are giving.
“It’s unfortunate that we just couldn’t find that final ball, but there was some really good play and I bet that if you look at the highlights reel you’ll be thinking ‘how have they not scored there?’.
“But I’m full of praise for my players today.
“We haven’t got the win, but in terms of the quality on show and the level of sheer territory we had in the second half, we deserved more from the game.”
FAN REACTION:
@Blueaffiliate1: The whole club is absolutely toxic. Johnson is a great manager, way above the level of league one. They’ll not get out of that division with the club being run the way it is
@GrizlyBizly: So what. Give it out expect to take it back.
@SafcFan1973: Fella on the radio saying Lee Johnson stuck two fingers up at the fans giving him some stick at the end. If that’s the case the end is near surely? #SAFC
@DarkKnightFTM: Lee Johnson sticking two fingers up to a fan at the end sums him up. Little shit get out of Sunderland afc now!!!!
@Kevsafc22: Is it ok that Lee Johnson ‘allegedly’ stuck his 2 fingers up to supporters? Is it ok he argued with fans? If course it isn’t. Having said that if you shout and ball abuse at someone you’re going to give it back whether your a football manager or whatever you do. Before i…..
@MellyMaestro: Was he not just telling them his height in feet?
@Buntingfootball: If Lee Johnson has given the fingers to a Sunderland fan after getting abuse shouted at him today I say fair play. He may be a football manager and you can question professionalism but if somebody is abusing you and maybe taking it to a personal level they deserve something back.
@_DanTomlinson_: If someone has given Lee Johnson abuse, he is 100% in the right to give it back!
@joe_112233: ‘I’m a married man with 6 kids’ moment
@_lewisnufc_: Isn’t it mag behaviour to force your manager out despite not doing badly? They’re 5th and 2 points off top. Think of his family!
@cal_summerill: Lee Johnson sticking his fingers up at the fans in the crowd is the most Sunderland thing I’ve ever heard, complete embarrassment
@SLWAFC: Well done Lee Johnson 👏 Sunderland fans are extremely cut throat when it comes to managers and they expect their squad to win every single game. Theyre 5th in league one and their fans are complaining. Their fans are a joke. I hope they bottle the playoffs again. Grim fanbase.
@_JakeC91: Club Statement – Lee Johnson
@MattPFC: Sunderland fans are so fucking weird. You drop points to a team who is consistently in and around the playoffs when you’re 2 points off top with a game in hand and start beefing your manager
@WhatTheFalkPod: Apathy. I hate calling for a manager to be replaced. I really do, but Lee Johnson as the manager of this football club just makes me feel nothing.
@joey__burton__: Some people probably have a lot of apologising to Lee Johnson to do now… Resorting to sheer fabrications like this really doesn’t help their cause at all.
@Terry94023972: I am not a fan of Johnson. And haven’t been from day one. But if he has done what is alleged here so what? I have no problems at all with it. If you want rid of a manager make it for a genuine reason. Not a moment of annoyance. #SAFC
@acefaceaaron: Ha look the pot of shit and spew is boiling over again, remember when you beat us in opening day of season and won the league, worst fans in the world poison everything that comes to the Northeast, #wafc
@tmooresy25: Club that keeps on giving
@a_stxx: You’d not think Sunderland were 2 points from top with the way their fans go off… Failed to get out of league one consecutive seasons, surely they can’t still expect to win every single game when they have proved that this league is now their level 😂
@Chris_CD2010: Got a short fuse that one.
@niallsafc_: 😭😭😭😭😭 surely as a fan base we cant actually be so wound up over THAT 😭😭😭😭
— Macca (@sunderlandafc11) December 4, 2021
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