'Credit to him' - Sunderland star hails Michael Beale role in comeback win

Jack Clarke says Sunderland boss Michael Beale deserves a lot of ‘credit’ for inspiring the second-half fightback against Plymouth.

Sunderland went in at half-time trailing to a Ryan Hardie goal, and the Black Cats looked well short of their best despite naming in incredibly attacking line-up that saw Clarke, Patrick Roberts, Abdoullah Ba and Nazariy Rusyn all starting.

Clarke says that first-half performance wasn’t anywhere near good enough, but he was naturally pleased with the response and the result.

Michael Beale's family thanks Sunderland fans for 'touching' gesture

“First half we knew we didn’t play well enough,” Jack Clarke told safc.com after the game. “Too sloppy all over the park so we knew we had to put it right, and we knew we had the capabilities and the game plan was right to put it right.

“I think we saw that in the second half with how easily we cut through them at times, which we tried to do in the first half. But we’re just happy to get the three points and put them in the bag.”

Sunderland boss Beale admitted himself that some ‘honest words’ had to be spoken in the dressing room at half-time.

That seemed to do just the trick, with Sunderland looking completely transformed after the break. For Clarke, Beale should get plenty of credit for that.

“He was just brutally honest,” Clarke said. “He said what needed to be said and obviously he said the right things to gear us up for the second half.

“We managed to change the game so credit to him, but credit to ourselves as well for turning it around.”

Michael Beale's family thanks Sunderland fans for 'touching' gesture

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