Blackburn Rovers 2-2 Sunderland: Leonard’s late goal rescues point for hosts

Blackburn head coach John Eustace told BBC Radio Lancashire:

“I thought we played some fantastic football in the first half, it could have been more and we need to be more clinical. Second half we came out a little bit slow against a top team in Sunderland, you can see why they’re in the top three or four.

“When we went 2-1 down, the lads never gave up and that’s the most pleasing thing for me – we could quite easily have gone under. I’m just delighted we never gave up and came away at least with a point.

“I think that’s about the ninth goal from a substitute this season and that’s a pleasing stat – it just shows we have to use our squad.

“Every member of the squad’s very important. No matter who starts, the most important people on the pitch are those who finish and the substitutes are definitely making a difference.”

Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris told BBC Radio Newcastle:

“It’s not a bad result in the end, probably the question is more about the dynamic of the game. It wasn’t our best start, we were just not at our best level but we reacted well in the second half.

“We played our football, we pressed high and recovered the ball and during the second half we had many chances to score. But when you’re away with a full stadium, you know you can concede a goal at the end with high pressure.

“We have to work again on our consistency, it’s a key word for a team to be at the top of the league. We have a talented team, the question is how we can perform along (the course of) the whole league.

“They reacted well, so they have the mentality – it’s a question of starting from the beginning until the end.”