Sunderland manager David Moyes has stated that he intentionally did not mention Jack Rodwell's terrible winless run to the midfielder.
Rodwell endured an extraordinary run of failing to win 39 consecutive matches in which he had started but the midfielder's remarkable streak finally came to an end on Saturday as Sunderland were able to claim a 4-0 victory over Crystal Palace.
Moyes admitted after the game that he was well aware of Rodwell's woeful stats but stated that he did not mention it to the 25-year-old and instead gave him words of confidence ahead of the encounter with Palace.
"I was actually going to mention it before but I thought I wouldn't draw attention to it. I have to say the record has crossed my mind a few times," said Moyes, according to the Daily Mirror.
"As a manager you would be stupid not to look at something like that.
"Before the game I said 'it's about time you started to take grip of games. You're not a boy any more, get over it, start getting on it. Isn't it time you started to show you are a top player, and can be a top player and 'come on, you're going to have to stand up today.'
"He hasn't been doing that. But recently he's been doing better. We want him to take more responsibility and help make us play and he did that against Palace. I wasn't losing patience with him. He can still achieve his potential. He has got a different body now to do it."