Luke O’Nien had ‘last laugh’ with Barry Bannan in 21/22 play-off semi-final, he’ll be hoping for same vs Coventry

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Sunderland star Luke O’Nien will be hoping to taste play-off semi-final victory again this season against Coventry City as he did at Sheffield Wednesday in the 2021/22 season.

Sunderland will face Coventry City in the upcoming 2024/25 Championship play-offs semi-final clashes as both sides hunt to book their spot at Wembley.

In Regis Le Bris’ first season on Wearside, the Black Cats finished fourth after leading the way for several weeks early on, but their worrying form of late has condemned them to the play-offs.

Sunderland have a barren history in the play-offs, and their only victory across any division coming in their 2021/22 League One play-off final win, spearheaded by Alex Neil, with his side beating Sheffield Wednesday in a dramatic double-header.

It was during that semi-final affair, before beating Wycombe Wanderers in the final at Wembley, that Sunderland skipper Luke O’Nien had the “last laugh” against the Owls and will be hoping fortune favours the red-and-white once again in the approaching play-offs campaign.

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Luke O’Nien had ‘last laugh’ for Sunderland in Sheffield Wednesday semi-final win

O’Nien and Sunderland would lift the League One play-off final trophy under the arches after a 2-0 win against Wycombe, thanks to goals from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart.

For many fans on Wearside, that win felt more like a formality, following the dramatic nature of their semi-final victory over Sheffield Wednesday.

In the first-leg on home soil, now-Southampton man Stewart scored the only goal of the clash with a fortunate low finish, sending the Black Cats to Hillsborough for the second-leg with a one-goal advantage.

At Sheffield Wednesday, Darren Moore’s side wiped out their advantage with a Lee Gregory goal that was choregraphed by Owls midfield maestro Barry Bannan’s pass.

Owls midfielder Bannan was man-marked by O’Nien for the second-leg, and Bannan then proceeded to celebrate in O’Nien’s face after the equalising goal, saying ‘you’re done here, you’re done’ to the Sunderland star.

With seconds to spare, Jack Clarke made his trademark maneouvre into the box, before squaring the ball to Patrick Roberts, who stole a march on the Owls defence to slot home in the 93rd-minute, sending the thousands of travelling Sunderland fans in the upper Hillsborough stands into raptures.

After the game, which saw Wednesday perform a lot of the dark footballing arts and with Bannan’s disrespect, O’Nien admitted that it was a pleasure to enjoy the “last laugh” and go on course to a Wembley win.

Via the Sunderland til i Die Netflix Documentary, O’Nien said: “Football’s swings and roundabouts. You can never cheat the football gods, they always come back to bite you in the a**e. We worked hard that game, and we had the last laugh.”

O’Nien will be hoping to enjoy the “last laugh” again, this time against the Sky Blues, and turn the tide on Sunderland’s worrying record against Coventry, their old enemy.

Roberts and Clarke were unplayable against the Owls, and with the latter’s departure to Ipswich Town, Roberts must regain his best form for the semi-final clashes ahead against Coventry.

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Patrick Roberts must get back to his best seen in play-off semi-final win vs Sheffield Wednesday

Former Middlesbrough and Derby County loanee Roberts has become a polarising figure amongst the Sunderland fanbase.

On his day, the ‘mini-Messi’ is an absolute joy to watch, dribbling past defenders as if they don’t exist and getting the red-and-white faithful off their seats with excitement.

However, it is Roberts’ inconsistency and lack of goal output that frustrates the fanbase so much, with many wishing Sunderland had signed former transfer target Marcus Edwards before his Burnley move.

Two goals from right-forward, and zero last season in the league, is simply not at the level required for a team pushing for top flight promotion.

Roberts’ best form in a Sunderland shirt comes with the freedom to express his attacking flair, but also brings others into play higher up the pitch, rather than starting attacks from too deep as Roberts has done of late.

If the two-goal wideman continues to misfire infront of goal, the Black Cats board must look for reinforcements on the right-wing in the approaching summer window.