Abdoullah Ba explains Sunderland target ahead of tough Middlesbrough test at the Stadium of Light

Abdoullah Ba talks about his first season at Sunderland and looks ahead to Saturday’s game against Middlesbrough.
Abdoullah Ba intends to enhance his goalscoring this season after scoring the second goal in Sunderland’s 2-0 win over Watford.

The attacking midfielder, 20, scored once in 29 Championship outings after joining The Black Cats from French side Le Havre in 2022, and has already more than quadrupled that total this season.

“The gaffer has given me very good confidence, and I’m very happy as a player and happy to help the team,” Ba said following Sunderland’s win over Watford. “I’d like to score five, six, or seven goals this year.” I’d be overjoyed.”

Sunderland are preparing for Saturday’s showdown at the Stadium of Light against Middlesbrough, with Michael Carrick’s side in fine form after winning their last three league games.

“We have another game against Middlesbrough and I hope to get three points again and go into the international break and relax,” Ba stated. “It is going to be a tough test, every game is different and we just have to keep going and believing and work together.”

Ba came in for Alex Pritchard in Sunderland’s starting lineup against Watford, with the latter likely to miss the Middlesbrough game due to a calf strain.

Midfielder Pierre Ekwah and playmaker Bradley Dack, as well as Dennis Cirkin, will be unavailable for Tony Mowbray’s side until after the international break.

Sunderland will return to action on Saturday, October 21 when they travel to Stoke. After that, the Black Cats will play Leicester, Norwich, Swansea, and Birmingham before another international break in November.