Darron Gibson: Sunderland’s Wembley Trip is Too Close to Call

Sunderland’s season will be defined by one game. 90 minutes at Wembley to determine whether the sleeping northern giant will return to the Premier League. The Black Cats face Chris Wilder’s Sheffield United in what promises to be a mammoth occasion for both clubs.

Ahead of the Championship play-off final this weekend, we caught up with former Sunderland midfielder Darron Gibson to get his thoughts on the final, the club’s revival, and rising star Jobe Bellingham’s future.

Sunderland vs Sheffield United: A True 50/50 Clash

Sheffield United, having finished third in the league, go into the tie as favourites on paper. But the play-offs are a different beast. An unpredictable one-off clash where league positions often count for little. Sunderland, buoyed by a strong campaign and previous play-off experience, will believe they can make the step up.

For Gibson, this is not a match you can confidently call.

“The play-off final is a 50/50 game. Both teams will go for it, and both teams have beaten each other this season,” he told us. “The form has been quite good for both of them. I can’t really call the result.”

The Sunderland Renaissance

Since Gibson’s time at the club, Sunderland has undergone a remarkable transformation. Once mired in dysfunction and decline, the club has rebuilt with a clear structure, strong infrastructure, and a core of young, hungry talent. Now they find themselves 90 minutes from a return to the top flight.

“It’s a big club and they have a good infrastructure. They have great facilities and the fans are really passionate, so it would be great to see them back in the Premier League,” Gibson said.

“If they do get back to the Premier League, that stadium will be filled out, maybe even two or three times if it was bigger.”

“When I played there, the club was a bit of a mess, so it's nice to see they’ve stabilised things. They have a good group of young players, so it would be nice to have them back.”

Why Jobe Bellingham Should Stay For Now

One of the big talking points, should Sunderland secure promotion, will be Jobe Bellingham’s future. The young midfielder has already been linked with high profile moves to Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund, the latter of which is, of course, the club that helped launch his brother Jude to superstardom.

But Gibson believes Jobe should stay put for now.

“From his point of view, Jobe would probably like to move to a bigger club. But if he is comfortable in his own abilities, I think he needs to show what he can do in the Premier League with Sunderland if they get promoted.”

“I’m not saying he hasn’t earned the move, but to get a big move like to Dortmund, I think you need to prove yourself at the highest level. No disrespect to the Championship. I played there myself but it’s a really big step up.”

Having experienced both the Premier League and the Championship firsthand, Gibson knows the gulf in quality. His advice to Bellingham is clear: prove yourself in the Premier League, and the big move will come.

“If they do get promoted and he does well, I’m sure he’ll get a big move.”

“There’s simply more quality in the Premier League. That’s the difference. I got a shock when I dropped down to the Championship. If you make mistakes in the Premier League, you will get punished.”