DON GOODMAN: Newcastle's rise is painful for my Wembley-bound Sunderland. Crystal Palace target Jobe Bellingham? He'll leave without Premier League

Exclusive by Alessandro Schiavone

Capital Football have exclusively spoken to ex-Sunderland 1991 record signing Don Goodman ahead of the Black Cats' semifinal play-off return against Coventry City tonight. The Wearsiders are favourites to face Sheffield United at Wembley in the play-off final on Saturday 24th of May after claiming a 2-1 win at Chelsea legend Frank Lampard Coventry City last week.

Mister Goodman, your ex-club Sunderland have made a huge statement in their ambitions to make a long-awaited return to the Premier League. It seems that poor momentum going into the play-offs had dented their confidence. But the cards have been reshuffled…

“I think they better hope that the cards have been reshuffled, really! In all my years commentating for Sky Sports the Championship play-offs…that’s 18 years I didn’t see a team going in that bad form like this and then get promoted. I’ve seen teams almost stumbling but at least with some positives, a draw here and a win there. But I didn’t see such poor form and so it was a little bit of a worry really because it has been a very long time since they’ve known that they’re not gonna do automatic [promotion]. And so I understand the temptation to rotate, test players, try some young players. But in doing all that they seemed to have lost a bit of fluency and a bit of fluidity. Before the 2-1 win in Coventry they played strong teams but it just seems that there was something missing...”

Coventry haven’t done much better before the play-offs started. Scintillating form is something else…

“They had a big win against Middlesbrough at home. They had only lost to Burnley in the eight games prior to that which is the second best team in the league. They then made it tight in Coventry and pinched a result.”

How do you explain Sunderland’s drop of form in the second part of the season?

“I think sometimes it’s hard to know exactly what is the problem and where did it go wrong. They lost against Leeds United, maybe February time. But the performance level has just slowly gone down and down since. And that’s the worry really that they haven’t been able to arrest the slide and pick up some wins to give them confidence. Confidence is arguably the biggest thing in football to maximise your capabilities. What Sunderland must do is look back at the first half of the season when they were one of the very best teams in the league, when they were playing every week, even if they lost, they were playing well. And they have to focus on what they were doing then that they are not doing now. And I am sure that behind the scenes that’s probably what’s happening. But you have to look for any kind of positives when you’re in a situation like that. And the positive for Sunderland is they know their capabilities in the play-off games. It’s like a cup competition now. They are a young group…”

And in a cup competition the form doesn’t count, right? Look at Spurs…

“Anything can happen, that’s what must give them hope.”

Only Wilson Isidor has hit double figures for them. That also shows the strength of their team, they share the goals around. To be where they are without someone like Toney, Gyokeres and Mitrovic scoring for fun is remarkable, isn’t it?

“Here is another positive. If somebody would have told me that Sunderland finished fourth last August before a ball was kicked I’d have said: ‘that’s a brilliant season’. It’s just the way that they finished fourth, the drop-off at the end…so again it’s another positive for them to focus on.”

Can Jobe Bellingham be the one deciding the semis and then potentially the final? Palace are linked with him...

“They have many good players…but Jobe is excellent! There’s still time (for him to become as good as his brother). But he’s a slightly different player! I suspect that if Sunderland aren’t in the Premier League next season, Jobe Bellingham might be. If Sunderland lose in the play-offs maybe they will lose Jobe Bellingham.”

Newcastle got one up on Tyne-Wear rivals Sunderland by winning the Carabao Cup. Two different worlds but for Sunderland to digest that only returning to he promised land will do…

“I loved derbies! Bring the derbies on, derbies are great and everyone should want them. But at the moment these are two clubs that are on different paths of their journeys, different levels of success at this time in their history. And clearly Newcastle are really flourishing right now. And that must be painful for the Sunderland fans but it’s nothing that winning a play-off campaign won’t put right for Sunderland.”

Sheffield United are many people’s favourites well before the play-offs started. But if there’s one side that can hurt them it’s Sunderland in a potential Wembley final?

“Sheffield United are the best team! Three times only in the last nine I think the third-place team has won. But I didn’t see a big gap like I see this season in consistency. Sheffield United got 90 points with two deducted: that’s a good team. Sunderland can still do it but they need to find their best form.”