Chopra winner silences critics

Mar 24 2008 by The Journal

MICHAEL Chopra proved his point to Roy Keane at the weekend, but the Gosforth-born striker was more interested in easing Sunderland’s relegation fears and silencing the detractors who question his £5m price tag.

Chopra’s goal in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Aston Villa was his fourth since a summer move from Cardiff City but his first in open play since the season’s opening week. Nevertheless, it was his failure to match his team-mates’ effort in training, rather than a lack of goals, which manager Keane said was behind his absence against Chelsea the previous week.

“I was very disappointed to get left out but I knew the only way to get back into the team was to perform well in training,” said Chopra, a 59th-minute substitute at Villa Park. “My next step is to try and stay in the team and score goals.

“I never put pressure on myself. I just think what comes along, comes along. I just worked hard in training and thankfully I managed to score the winner. I wouldn’t say it was a wake-up call, it’s just keeping the players on their toes. If you slack off a little bit you are going to get left out.”

Kieran Richardson and Daryl Murphy were also dropped against Chelsea. Richardson created Chopra’s goal at the weekend while Murphy deputised well for Kenwyne Jones, who missed Sunderland’s first away win this season with a virus.

“The manager knows what’s best for the team,” said Chopra. “The three people left out last week have done a good job. The main thing is we’ve managed to get three points away to Aston Villa which nobody would have thought we would have done, apart from the people at Sunderland Football Club. It just gives us that little bit of breathing space.”

Although Chopra has found the net only four times, his goals have garnered seven points. The debate over his worth continues, but he is anxious to stay out of it. “A lot of people would have still been saying they paid £5m for me and I’m not worth it,” he acknowledged. “All I have got to do is keep trying to score goals and shut those people up. People talk about the price tag but, in my eyes, I’m just a footballer. I have managed to score four goals this season. It’s been disappointing at times but hopefully I can get a few more.”

Chopra was this week linked with a loan to Cardiff but claimed he had no interest in returning and no regrets about leaving a club who have since reached the FA Cup semi-finals.

“I believe playing in the Premiership is going to be the best thing for my career,” he said. “I’ve been playing most of the games and scoring goals. I think it (Cardiff’s interest) all came from last week, when I was left out of the team. I spoke to a couple of players from Cardiff and they just told me a little bit about what has been happening and said they’ve been interested. But the main thing for me is to do well for Sunderland and stay in the Premiership.”

The elation at finally winning away was heightened by the absence of top-scorer Jones. “To get a win means so much to the fans and players because people have been talking about us having gone so many games away without a win,” Chopra said.

“We know when we play away we have got to pick up points to stay in this league and we’ve played well against decent teams away, like Arsenal and Manchester United. We knew if we managed to keep it tight then if there is only one chance we can get three points.”

Jones and Carlos Edwards are out of Trinidad and Tobago’s squad to face Jamaica with two of the week’s least surprising injuries. Edwards apparently strained his groin in training on Friday but played for 67 minutes at Villa. Keane had complained about the pair’s selection for Wednesday’s friendly.

Meanwhile, former Black Cats target Diego Forlan appears to be sending mixed messages. Having been quoted last week as being interested in a move back to England he is now reported as saying: “Leaving (Atletico) Madrid doesn’t even enter my head.”