READING FC manager Paul Ince admitted that he was at fault for the Royals’ 3-0 defeat to Sunderland earlier in the season.
The Royals will be looking for a more positive result at the Stadium of Light having been comfortably beaten by the Black Cats at the Select Car Leasing Stadium in September.
Reflecting on the game before Reading make the trip to Sunderland this weekend, Ince said: “There were two elements to that game why we lost it. The first one was down to me, it was solely my fault.
“I decided going with a five (at the back) and the game wasn’t going anywhere. We tried to get a foothold in the game and go to a four and that’s when we conceded our goals. I take full responsibility for that, it was my cock up.
“It was a game where if we would have won, we would have gone top of the table. You could sense the nervousness among the players and we didn’t perform.
“ A lot has gone on since then and we will go up there for a tough game in front of 38 or 40,000 fans.
“Revenge isn’t the word, but I want us to perform a lot better than we did at home.”
Ince praised Sunderland’s ability after their narrow FA Cup exit to Premier League side Fulham on Wednesday evening.
He continued: “I watched their game against Fulham and they’re a very good side. Theyv’e not got a lot of height, but they’ve got a lot of good technical players with Diallo, Clarke and Geldhardt.
“We’ve been working on dealing with runners, not getting caught watching the ball because they’re very good in the final third and with the crowd behind them, it will be a tough game for us.
“They performed very well against a Premier League side but Tony Mowbray will say his bread and butter is the Championship, like I would. Will they tire? That’s what we’re hoping for.”
