Di Canio: Sunderland must apologise to the fans for 'humiliation' at the hands of Villa

By Colin Young

PUBLISHED: 18:02 EST, 29 April 2013 | UPDATED: 23:58 EST, 29 April 2013


Stunned Paolo Di Canio accused Sunderland’s players of losing their hunger as the cause of a performance he called ‘a humiliation’.

The Italian who had turned round the Black Cats with two wins on the trot was shocked by seeing his team beaten 6-1 at Aston Villa.

And he blamed himself for having failed to see what he called ‘the signs’ that things could go so disastrously wrong.

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I'm sorry: Paolo Di Canio held his hands up after the game and apologised for an embarrassing show

I'm sorry: Paolo Di Canio held his hands up after the game and apologised for an embarrassing show

He said: ‘It is obvious I didn’t read them, but always there are signs, otherwise it is not possible to have this kind of performance. This week we have to make sure we work so hard to get the points that we need to stay up,

‘For this performance we have to apologise to our club, to the fans that travelled in numbers.  It is not fair to them. 

‘You can lose every time, but not in this manner against Aston Villa. There was one team with a real desire to play like it was the last chance for their lives, and our team that probably was a bit full in the stomach because of the last two wins in a row.

Running riot: Villa smashed in six goals as they earned a crucial win in the run-in

Running riot: Villa smashed in six goals as they earned a crucial win in the run-in

‘Probably we thought the main job was done. It is obvious that when this team performs in this way the person responsible is the manager but also the players.

'There were signs that we didn’t read in the week. If this is a medicine in some way that can let us know that we have to play with desire and commitment because otherwise we will have a culture of defeat. It is obvious this humiliation can help the players, the manager.

‘We have to understand we need a minimum of another three points. We can do it but we have to understand it is not acceptable the performance we made tonight.’ Di Canio also confirmed Sunderland will appeal against Stephane Sessegnon’s red card.

Unfair: Stephane Sessegnon was dismissed but Sunderland will appeal

Unfair: Stephane Sessegnon was dismissed but Sunderland will appeal

Villa boss Paul Lambert said: ‘The most important thing was winning the game, we started well and got a terrific goal, but I think the second goal was absolutely fantastic. 

‘With Benteke, Agbonlahor and Weimann there’s always goals in us and the performance was absolutely outstanding.

‘We were a few behind with goal difference. It gives us a great inspiration to go to Norwich and we will try to win another game.

‘I have said that I would not like to go into the last game still needing something. We have put a lot of teams into the mix, we have pulled away from Wigan, if we can keep playing like that we will be OK’.

Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has tipped hat-trick hero Christian Benteke to enjoy a big future in the game - but still passed man-of-the-match honours to Matthew Lowton following the 6-1 rout of Sunderland.

Take that: Benteke bashes in the corner flag like he bashed in his third goal of the game

Take that: Benteke bashes in the corner flag like he bashed in his third goal of the game

Villa's biggest win since 2008 not only took them five points clear of third-bottom Wigan in the battle to avoid the drop, it also improved their goal difference to the extent they overhauled Newcastle.

Lambert hailed hat-trick hero Benteke after the game. 'You can't speak highly enough of him,' enthused the Villa boss.

'He keeps his feet on the ground and is hungry to have success as a footballer. I thought we needed a striker like that.

'He is a big lad and everyone can see his technique is fabulous. He played a lot games for Genk. He is Belgium's main target player and they are going to qualify for the World Cup.

'People forget he is 22. He has a big career in front of him as long as he keeps working hard.'

It still was not enough for his manager to select him as Villa's stand-out performer on a dream night.

'He was alright but Matt Lowton was the best player on the pitch by an absolute mile.'

Star man: Matthew Lowton was the best on show according to Paul Lambert

Star man: Matthew Lowton was the best on show according to Paul Lambert

It looked like being another difficult evening for the Midlands giants after they allowed Danny Rose to level within two minutes of Ron Vlaar's first-half piledriver.

But Lowton's break created the chance Andreas Weimann finished off just before the interval and once Benteke had destroyed Sunderland, Gabriel Agbonlahor rubbed it in a minute from time to become Villa's highest-ever Premier League goalscorer.

'I hope goal difference is not important but it could be,' said Lambert.

'It brings everybody else back into it and pulls us away from Wigan. The situation is better than it was a few months ago.

'We have been in this position for most of the season but they have handled it brilliantly.
'They have got their heads down and kept going. They don't look like a team that is down there.'

 
 

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Burst bubble. Suddenly he's not the messiah you were all making him out to be. - Ng, Singapore, 30/04/2013 02:31 He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy.

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Sunderland will survive this season solely because both Reading and QPR were so poor; next season however, will be a different matter, and last nights result throws a sliver of light on what sort of a season Sunderland will have. PDC is as subtle as a brick through a window, and whilst all of his "look at how passionate I am" posturing and ranting might well work with League 1 & 2 players, at Prem level it is simply laughable. He will be gone by Christmas and Sunderland relegated by Easter.

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i didnt expect anything tonight we will have to beat Stoke or Southampton at home which i think is in our capabilities then we can get rid of the players we dont need, to be honest i think Nwcastle will drop out of the leauge cant see them fgettig anything at West Ham and wigan can beat West Brom if tey play with the same desire as they oplayed Spurs so it will go to the last game and i think Arsenal will win at The Sports Direct Arena. - gary h , sunderland, United Kingdom, 30/4/2013 05:38>>>>>>>nice try but you seem to have forgetten, you lost your best player to red card last night. Keep looking over your shoulder because Wigan are coming to get you.

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Gary H class - shows the education system in Sunderland has helped you to write. Just need to improve your spelling now.

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Get used to it Sunderland fans. It's going to be a rolacoaster with that clown in charge.

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Gary I believe its St.James Park

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i didnt expect anything tonight we will have to beat Stoke or Southampton at home which i think is in our capabilities then we can get rid of the players we dont need, to be honest i think Nwcastle will drop out of the leauge cant see them fgettig anything at West Ham and wigan can beat West Brom if tey play with the same desire as they oplayed Spurs so it will go to the last game and i think Arsenal will win at The Sports Direct Arena.

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Watch for the next Match , they took Villa for granted, now Sunderland F.C. will suffer the wrath of Di Canio .

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Burst bubble. Suddenly he's not the messiah you were all making him out to be.

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