'Target' scores in front of watching Moyes; Khazri 'carrying weight' & striker wants to stay put

Sam Gallagher watched again

According to reports on social media, David Moyes has been in the crowd at Ewood Park this afternoon to take in Blackburn's game with Bristol City.

Widely supposed to have been watching striker Sam Gallagher, the 21-year-old was on the score sheet with a 71st minute powerful header which will have impressed the Sunderland boss.

The Black Cats are thought to have watched the Southampton player who is on loan at Rovers several times already this season.

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Gallagher has scored eleven goals for struggling Blackburn in the Championship since joining last summer. Tony Mowbray's side were held to a draw this afternoon and are third bottom and facing relegation to League 1.

The 6ft 4in target man is also thought to be wanted by Steve Bruce's Aston Villa though Saints may wish to hang on to the Devon-born forward who was snapped up from neighbours Portsmouth in 2012.

Sunderland right-back Adam Matthews was not on show for Blackburn's opponents Bristol City. The 25-year-old has not featured in the first team for the Robins since February as struggles with injury and form continue.

Moyes might also have had a look at City's centre-half Aden Flint. The 27-year-old has enjoyed another good season in the second tier and was thought to have been watched by Sam Allardyce last season.

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The 6ft 5in imposing defender has been nominated for Bristol City's Player of the Year and has attracted attention from Premier League clubs for a couple of seasons.

Man of the moment Wahbi Khazri

Lee Cattermole says Saturday's man-of-the-match Wahbi Khazri is overweight but that his performance against West Ham proves that his apparent physical condition belies his actual fitness and matters little considering the ability he has.

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In quotes widely featured in the media, Sunderland's vice-captain says the return of the Tunisian midfielder has given the team a boost:

Without taking it the wrong way, it shows it doesn't matter what he looks like.

I carry a bit [of weight] as well. He hasn't played and he's going to get fitter, but he's played 90-odd minutes there for the first time in a long time and that's real credit to him.

Khazri's condition and fitness have been speculated about since pre-season when the midfielder appeared to return from the summer break carrying a few extra pounds. Photographs since have done little to contradict the suggestion, as this 'before and after' shot shows...

Khazri scored Sunderland's first goal for 701 minutes on Saturday - a run of seven games stretching back two months. It was the Premier League's first goal direct from a corner since January 2016.

But the Tunisian playmaker's all round game in a first start in six months was exceptional. There were flashes of skill, an ability to beat men which has been lacking amongst Khazri's colleagues all season and a pressing purpose to closing down West Ham players when the opposition had the ball.

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'Target' Waghorn wants to stay at Rangers

Former Sunderland striker, and supposed target of David Moyes, Martyn Waghorn says he wants to continue his career in Scotland and stay at Rangers.

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The 27-year-old, who has scored fifteen times for the Glasgow club this season, was recently linked with a return 'home' to Sunderland, the club at which he rose through the ranks as a youngster and made half-a-dozen appearances.

Waghorn told the Glasgow Evening Times that despite stalled negotiations over a new deal, he has no desire to leave Ibrox. The South Shields-born striker is under contract at Rangers to 2018.

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