Sunderland

Sunderland have offered their full support to manager David Moyes after the Scot apologised for his recent controversial "slap" remark to a female reporter.

Per BBC Sport's Matt Davis and Ellie Thomason, the relegation-threatened Premier League club said the interaction was "wholly unacceptable and such actions are not condoned or excused in any way" and they "continue to fully support" Moyes.

Moyes lashed out at BBC reporter Vicki Sparks last month following a 0-0 draw. Sparks had asked if the manager was feeling the pressure because Sunderland owner Ellis Short had attended the stalemate.

After his press conference, Moyes told Sparks, per MailOnline's Craig Hope, Will Griffee and Luke Augustus, "You were just getting a wee bit naughty at the end there, so just watch yourself. You still might get a slap even though you're a woman. Careful the next time you come in."

The former Everton and Manchester United boss was subsequently asked by the FA to explain his remarks, according to BBC Sport. He soon offered an apology for what he had said, per Luke Edwards of the Telegraph: “I profoundly regret what I said. I have spoken to the girl, who I apologised to, and she accepted it."

However, not everybody has been impressed by Moyes' attempts to make amends. In particular, Simon Bird of the Daily Mirror took exception to the Sunderland chief calling Sparks a "girl": "The 'girl' being an intelligent grown woman employed by the BBC’s flagship show with the right to ask a pertinent question, without being warned she might get a 'slap.'"

Bird feels the issue further emphasises how women are not always treated equally in football. This latest incident comes after then-Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho admonished team doctor Eva Carneiro for attempting to treat an injured player on the pitch at the start of last season.

There was also controversy when now former Sky Sports presenters Richard Keys and Andy Gray ridiculed lineswoman Sian Massey back in 2011. Football will again have to answer questions about how well its culture supports true equality.

For Sunderland, the unsavoury incident is one more sad chapter in a season looking increasingly likely to end in relegation from England's top flight with the club bottom of the league and eight points shy of safety.

Sunderland manager David Moyes has apologised for his outburst after telling a female reporter she "might get a slap" following last month's 0-0 draw against Burnley.

After TV cameras had stopped filming, BBC reporter Vicki Sparks recorded Moyes on her phone and asked if there was more pressure on his shoulders with Sunderland owner Ellis Short watching the result.

Per MailOnline's Will Griffee, Moyes said: "It was getting a wee bit naughty at the end there so just watch yourself. You still might get a slap even though you're a woman."

He then told Sparks to be "careful the next time you come in."

Labour MP Rosena Allin-Khan posted video footage of the incident in question:

This is disgraceful. David Moyes cannot get away with these sexist threats - the @FA must take action immediately. pic.twitter.com/kcMSQFmI7g

— Dr Rosena Allin-Khan on BSky: DrRosena.BSky.Social (@DrRosena) April 3, 2017

BBC Look North NE&C also provided footage of Moyes on Monday, who excused his behaviour as having come due to the "heat of the moment" following the draw with Burnley:

#SAFC Manager David Moyes deeply regrets "slap" comment to female BBC reporter after post match interview. pic.twitter.com/vxhlb5Fn0Q

— BBC Look North NE&C (@BBCLN) April 3, 2017

According to Griffee, the BBC has released a statement that confirmed the matter has been settled between Sparks and the Black Cats boss: "Mr Moyes has apologised to our reporter, and she has accepted his apology."

Despite Sparks and the BBC accepting Moyes' apology, however, the Daily Mail's Craig Hope reported Moyes had rejected calls to resign from his post at the Stadium of Light:

David Moyes refuses to resign after threatening to slap a female interviewer & says he should not be sacked. More to follow @MailSport

— Craig Hope (@CraigHope_DM) April 3, 2017

Since leaving Manchester United in 2014, Moyes endured an up-and-down spell in charge of La Liga club Real Sociedad and is now mired in his attempts to preserve Sunderland's Premier League status.

The road to safety—or more possibly relegation—won't get easier anytime soon, and he'll continue to be asked tough questions if Sunderland's form doesn't quickly improve.

Sunderland's Duncan Watmore reportedly helped rescue three elderly passengers from the sea after a catamaran crashed into a speedboat while the 23-year-old was aboard, per David Coverdale for the Sun.

"It was scary, life or death. I'm lucky not to be coming back in a box," said one of the three rescued by the Sunderland player, who is currently sidelined with a knee injury. "Duncan helped everybody to get on to the boat—he couldn't have been nicer."

Sunderland boss David Moyes gave the green light for Watmore to travel to Barbados last month, per Coverdale, following cruciate knee ligament damage sustained during their 2-1 win over Leicester City on Dec. 3.

According to a witness, passengers on both boats were thrown overboard by the collision, and Watmore reportedly responded by climbing onto the catamaran and helping others back onto the boat.

He used a T-shirt as a makeshift bandage to help one woman with a deep cut on her leg, and pulled three holidaymakers from the water before coastguards came to the rescue, Coverdale reports.

According to his father, former senior civil servant Ian Watmore, his son was humble about the incident:

https://twitter.com/ianwatmore/status/847211886378717184

Having hoped for a relaxing break from his rehabilitation process, it reportedly turned out to be a more eventful trip than the Englishman had planned.

Five-year-old Sunderland supporter Bradley Lowery has already been in the news once this week, after leading out his beloved Black Cats before their defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday.

But that may not have even been the highlight of his week, as just a day later the youngster received 28,000 Christmas cards and 75 parcels in the post.

The avalanche of mail was the result of a campaign started by an Everton fan recently with the aim of encouraging as many people as possible to send their support for Bradley, who was diagnosed with neuroblastoma in 2013.

Can you all please retweet this pic.twitter.com/WCvA2p4vnm

— Robbie Fowler (@Robbie9Fowler) December 10, 2016

And the campaign paid off in dramatic effect on Thursday, with the ever-grinning super-fan greeted by mountains of cards.

"They have come in from Australia, New Zealand and all over the UK," Bradley's mum Gemma told the Belfast Telegraph. 

Two years of chemotherapy beat Bradley's initial cancer, but it returned in June with further treatment only likely to give him more time.

[Belfast Telegraph, Twitter]

Sunderland striker Duncan Watmore scored a goal Eric Cantona would have been proud of for England Under-21s against France on Monday night. 

Leaving two opponents trailing in his wake with one magnificent touch, the Black Cats frontman executed an exquisite lob that left the French goalkeeper with no chance.

David Moyes will be hoping Watmore can transfer his international form on to the domestic stage, as Sunderland look to climb off the foot of the Premier League table.

[YouTube] 

Sunderland have made a terrible start to the season and already sit rock bottom of the Premier League.

In the video above, Bleacher Report looks into the stats behind their plight.

Manchester City's Elite Development Squad shot to the summit of the Premier League 2 Division 1 standings Sunday after they defeated fellow leader 4-2 at the Stadium of Light.

Paolo Fernandes impressed for City's under-23 outfit after netting a pair of long-range efforts from outside the box before half-time. Lukas Nmecha notched a brace of his own to drive his team up the table.

City now sit level on 10 points with Sunderland after playing five games apiece. But manager Simon Davies' side boast an outright lead after matching Sunderland on goal difference and bettering them on goals scored.

Sunday's result also means Sunderland's unbeaten start to the 2016-17 campaign came to an abrupt end on home turf, leaving Chelsea under-23s as the only team in Division 1 still yet to suffer a defeat this term.

Read on for a breakdown of the updated Division 1 standings, complete with a look toward Monday's Premier League 2 fixture schedule and a recap of Sunday's result.

Position	Team	P	W	D	L	F	A	D	Pts
1	Manchester Cit…	5	3	1	1	11	8	+3	10
2	Sunderland U23	5	3	1	1	10	7	+3	10
3	Everton U23	4	3	0	1	8	2	+6	9
4	Southampton U23	4	3	0	1	9	5	+4	9
5	Chelsea U23	4	2	2	0	9	4	+5	8
6	Liverpool U23	4	2	0	2	9	9	+0	6
7	Tottenham Hots…	4	2	0	2	7	7	+0	6
8	Reading U23	4	2	0	2	7	9	-2	6
9	Manchester Uni…	4	1	2	1	3	4	-1	5
10	Arsenal U23	4	1	0	3	4	7	-3	3
11	Derby County U23	4	0	0	4	4	10	-6	0
12	Leicester City U23	4	0	0	4	3	12	-9	0

Division 1
Division 2
Time	Fixture
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Arsenal vs. Everton
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Manchester United vs. Derby County
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Tottenham Hotspur vs. Liverpool
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Southampton vs. Leicester City
7:05 p.m. BST/2:05 p.m. ET	Reading vs. Chelsea
Time	Fixture
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Aston Villa vs. West Bromwich Albion
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Brighton vs. Newcastle United
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Norwich City vs. West Ham United
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Swansea City vs. Blackburn Rovers
7 p.m. BST/2 p.m. ET	Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Middlesbrough

Recap

Manchester City travelled to the Northeast on Sunday hoping to spring back to winning ways after going two matches without a win. They lost 3-2 at Reading before settling for a 1-1 draw at Manchester United last Friday.

Thanks to the fine form of Fernandes, the visitors were made to wait just 18 minutes before they assumed the lead at the Stadium of Light as the attacking midfielder bagged his first long-range effort of the afternoon.

Rodney Kongolo teed up his team-mate for the opener, and James Horsfield assisted Fernandes' second long-range golazo just four minutes before the interval.

The Citizens rarely looked troubled in the opening 45 minutes, and even the Black Cats were forced to admit two pieces of brilliance from City's man of the moment:

Two Paolo Fernandes wonder strikes have given @ManCity U23s the lead at the break. pic.twitter.com/0EHmOmAhH5

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) September 18, 2016

The second half painted a different picture, though, and Rees Greenwood pulled the home side back within a goal of their foes in the 62nd minute, with George Honeyman collecting the assist.

City restored their two-goal cushion just 11 minutes later, when Nmecha converted from the spot following a foul in the box from Greenwood. Elliot Embleton arose just minutes later to make it 3-2.

The Black Cats had used their nine lives, however, and the comeback attempt stopped when Nmecha collected his second of the day deep into injury time. Nmecha's score helped City take the outright Division 1 lead on goals scored.

After netting in the 4-1 UEFA Youth League meeting with Borussia Monchengladbach on Tuesday, Fernandes' performance will have impressed at the Stadium of Light, leading City to the summit.

Sunderland completed the signing of full-back Javier Manquillo on a season-long loan from Atletico Madrid on Thursday.

The Black Cats noted the deal had been finalised in a statement on their official website. It’s also confirmed that the club have an option to sign the defender on a four-year deal come the end of the loan period should they wish.

Manquillo has experience of the Premier League, having signed for Liverpool on loan in the summer of 2014. However, he made just 10 league appearances, and a two-year temporary switch was ended after just one season on Merseyside.

The 22-year-old spent the previous campaign on loan at Marseille, who endured a torrid Ligue 1 season, finishing in 13th position.

Here’s a look at some of the best moments from his spell in the south of France:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZWo6OvEiY6g

Sunderland are in desperate need of defensive reinforcements, with manager David Moyes unable to take any points from his side’s opening two games.

In their previous outing against Middlesbrough, in particular, there were gaping holes at the back, allowing the newly promoted outfit to scythe through the assembled red-and-white jerseys.

Bleacher Report’s Jack Lusby believes that Manquillo will aid in this process and is a savvy capture for the Black Cats:

https://twitter.com/jacklusby_/status/768752653421670400

The move to Anfield may have come a little too soon for the defender, who seemed to struggle with the pace of the Premier League. However, after Manquillo's season on loan with Marseille, Moyes will be hopeful he has a player matured and ready to seize his second chance in English football.

Adnan Januzaj moved to Sunderland on loan from Manchester United on Friday for the duration of the season.

The Wearside club confirmed the temporary switch, with manager David Moyes giving his reaction:

JANUZAJ CONFIRMED: #SAFC manager David Moyes announces that Adnan Januzaj has arrived on a season-long loan from @ManUtd.

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 12, 2016

MOYES: "He will get every opportunity to do the business. I'm hoping the #SAFC fans will see the real @adnanjanuzaj."

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 12, 2016

Rob Dawson of the Manchester Evening News believes the deal is a good one for United, and likewise football writer Liam Canning thinks the Black Cats will benefit:

Januzaj's season-long loan to Sunderland confirmed. Minor victory for United who were keen on a loan rather than losing him permanently.

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) August 12, 2016

A good move by Sunderland in taking Januzaj on a season-long loan. Needs to step up his career and start games. Has the talent in abundance.

— Liam Canning (@LiamPaulCanning) August 12, 2016

Meanwhile ESPN's Alex Shaw is sensing a pattern in Moyes' transfer activity at Sunderland:

David Moyes loves Man United. Januzaj, Love, McNair....might as well go the whole hog and go for Fellaini now.

— Alex Shaw (@AlexShawTel) August 12, 2016

Januzaj never looked as though he would feature in Jose Mourinho's first-team plans this season after the addition of Henrikh Mkhitaryan into a squad that already featured Juan Mata, Anthony Martial, Memphis Depay and Jesse Lingard. 

The 21-year-old enjoyed a strong breakout campaign under Moyes—now his boss at Sunderland—in 2013, impressing with his incisive dribbling and eye for a pass in the final third.

Januzaj did not appear to win over Moyes' successor Louis van Gaal, though, and after a season in which he made just 21 appearances, he was then handed an ultimately unsuccessful loan move to Borussia Dortmund.

Following his return in January, the Belgian was almost entirely restricted to playing with the under-21s, and despite some impressive performances for them, he was unable to break into the first team.

It's clear from his first season that Januzaj holds plenty of potential, but he has been unable to set about reaching it, with his development stalling in the last two years.

The winger remains young and still has plenty of time left to kick on, but if he's to truly meet his potential a full campaign of first-team football is needed sooner rather than later.

This move will allow him the chance to resume his development away from the spotlight of Old Trafford and gives him the tools either to forge a career away from United or work toward returning as a contender for a starting berth.

Moyes was able to get the best out of him during his time with the Red Devils—he'll hope to do so again with the Black Cats.

Sunderland confirmed the signing of Manchester United centre-back Paddy McNair on Thursday, with the Northern Irishman penning a four-year deal at the Stadium of Light.

The Wearside club relayed the news on their official Twitter feed, also reporting the capture of defender Donald Love from United:

DOUBLE SWOOP: #SAFC can confirm the signings of Paddy McNair and Donald Love – https://t.co/xTuySLOY1J pic.twitter.com/WvUH9lxtOX

— Sunderland AFC (@SunderlandAFC) August 11, 2016

The Black Cats' statement confirmed the combined fee for the pair at £5.5 million. Per Samuel Luckhurst of the Manchester Evening News, Sunderland paid £5 million for McNair and £500,000 for Love.

The pair will work under former United manager David Moyes at Sunderland, with the club statement providing reaction from the new boss:

"Paddy is a young, athletic player who is improving all the time. He has experience for Northern Ireland and we want to bring as many international players to the club as we can. Donald comes highly recommended and is another young player who I hope can develop and improve here."

Per Bleacher Report UK, McNair and Love are not the first defenders to make the switch from Old Trafford to Sunderland:

Where Sunderland go to buy defenders... pic.twitter.com/rNQA4rl8Pg

— B/R Football (@brfootball) August 11, 2016

The 21-year-old McNair only made his senior debut for the Red Devils after Moyes' humbling 10-month spell at Old Trafford—Louis van Gaal gave him his debut in September 2014—but the Scotsman will no doubt be familiar with the player who was in the youth ranks during his time in Manchester.

Despite impressing in his first few matches for United, McNair had fewer opportunities last term under Van Gaal, making only eight Premier League appearances compared to 20 in 2014-15, per WhoScored.com.

The arrival of manager Jose Mourinho and centre-back Eric Bailly at Old Trafford this summer looked set to limit his playing time even further, and McNair has long been expected to depart this summer.

He will get much more playing time at Sunderland as Moyes looks to build a team that will not be dragged into a relegation battle as they were last season.

Per the Telegraph's James Ducker, the youngster remains an exciting talent, his concentration levels and comfort on the ball often belying his 21 years:

Paddy McNair a good signing for Sunderland - capable player, should have a bright future #safc #mufc

— James Ducker (@TelegraphDucker) August 10, 2016

He can also play as a central midfielder, and that versatility could prove useful to Sunderland and Moyes.

Mourinho has historically liked a smaller squad to work with, which is why he has decided to dispense with McNair. United have also done well out of the deal, per the Manchester Evening News' Rob Dawson:

Getting £5m from Sunderland for McNair would be good business for United. Haven't sold well recently. Maybe that's about to change, too.

— Rob Dawson (@RobDawsonESPN) August 10, 2016

McNair will relish the opportunity to prove himself at Sunderland on a weekly basis and should be a major asset for the Black Cats in the 2016-17 season.