MICHAEL Beale has angrily hit back at suggestions his Sunderland side are too easily "bullied" and has challenged his players to show they're up for the fight in the Championship promotion battle.

After Huddersfield beat Sunderland in midweek, winger Sorba Thomas said the Terriers knew they could bully the Black Cats - a comment Beale says he "didn't like".

But while Sunderland's head coach thinks any perception of his side having a soft centre is untrue and unfair, he says that viewpoint can actually be taken as a compliment.

READ MORE:

"It's interesting that teams don't want to play a football match against us, they want to get up and at us," said Beale, whose side head for Birmingham City on Saturday for a reunion with former boss Tony Mowbray.

"The comment we don't like but we'll have to take it. If that's what people feel we have to get rid of that perception.

"If teams are thinking they can run after us and press us and we're not up for the fight then we have to respond to that.

"Their coaches mentioned that to one or two of our coaches and I'm not happy about that outlook, but our team have to take it on the chin.

"I don't think any team will stand off us and let us play lovely football. What teams are realising is if they stand off us they'll have a massive issue. We did really well last year, we're in a really good position and play a certain style of football, teams are going to look at ways to create problems for us. I wouldn't read too much into those comments but we have to show that's not the case."

Beale added: "I think it's a big compliment. Take the bullying word, that's not a compliment, but why are they trying to do that? People get wise to you in the second season (in the Championship) and they might sit a bit deeper or get a bit closer to you, our job then becomes a bit more difficult because you have to think ahead and problem solve.

"I always felt coming into the club the respect for our team had gone through the roof."