Sky Sports pundit sends clear Wycombe Wanderers warning to Sunderland ahead of play-off final

The Black Cats face Gareth Ainsworth’s side having beaten Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 in the semi-finals.

Alex Neil’s side will be the favourites going into Saturday’s huge clash at Wembley Stadium.

But Andy Hinchcliffe has warned Sunderland to be wary of the danger Ainsworth’s side poses.

Speaking on the Sky Sports EFL podcast, the 53-year old believes Ainsworth is one of the best in the division and knows how to get through these big ties.

The 49-year old led Wycombe to the Championship two years ago, winning the 2020 play-off final against Oxford United, showing his experience with these big games.

“Gareth is a master of getting the job done, getting the very best out of his players,” said Hinchcliffe, via Chronicle Live.

“There’s a collection of players there that maybe other clubs didn’t want. 

“He has that ability, not just for one season but for so many seasons to galvanise, to organise, to get them believing in each other to do whatever is necessary to get through and that’s exactly what they did against MK Dons.

“They should be rightly proud of that and to hear Jacobson [Joe Jacobson] talk [about their achievements and Ainsworth’s stock as a manager], he’s absolutely right. 

“It won’t be just him, it’ll be everybody because they know that their careers, what they’re achieving, yes it’s down to them and their application but it comes from Gareth Ainsworth believing in them, working with them.

“I guarantee that he’ll already know a lot about Sunderland already Gareth but he’ll be working hard already to find a way to nullify their most dangerous players after watching them in the Sheffield Wednesday games. 

“That is not a foregone conclusion, that final for Sunderland.”

Wycombe earned passage to the final with a 2-1