Sunderland AFC news - Cats keep tabs on Scotland and Blackburn Rovers defender, Hull City hit back over penalty spot claims

Sunderland goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter comes to claim a catch against Hull City.

The 31-year-old, who can play in defence or midfield, has scored three times for Rovers in League One this season.

The full Scotland international is attracting interest with Sunderland reported to be keen on bringing him to Wearside.

Mulgrew, a former Celtic trainee, signed for Rovers in the summer of 2016 and has since mace more than 30 league appearances for the club.

Sunderland added former AFC Bournemouth defender Marc Wilson to the squad on deadline day, adding to manager Simon Grayson's defensive options which include Lamine Kone, Tyias Browning and John O'Shea.

For the latest Sunderland AFC news follow our live blog here:Hull City deny lack of penalty spots for Sunderland game:

Hull City have hit back at claims that there weren't any penalty spots marked for the Championship game with Sunderland at the weekend.

The Superstadium Management Company (SMC) have moved to confirm the penalty spots were marked, going as far to provide pictures of a hollow penalty spot on the turf, after claims there weren't any in either penalty box.

A lengthy statement read: "The SMC would like to respond to suggestions made by local media that the pitch was not prepared sufficiently for Hull City's game against Sunderland on Saturday.

"It has been alleged that there were no penalty spots marked in either of the goal areas.

"The way that the penalty spots are now marked involves a hollow circle rather than the traditional large white spot. This is done to limit the amount of paint on the grass which ultimately damages the surface.

"It also removes the need to 'green' the white marks when the groundsmen change the markings between rugby and football, this process is also damaging for the surface."

The club added some examples of the markings used on their website adding: "The pictures below show that this way of marking the pitch is less visible from the stands but when closer to the spot it is clearly present and visible.

"We would also like to point out that two full sets of match officials, one for the EFL fixture and one for the development match, approved the pitch as playable after a full inspection.

"If there hadn't been the correct markings this would have been raised by the officials."

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