Sunderland will return to Premier League International Cup action on Wednesday evening with a clash against German outfit Borussia Monchengladbach. The Black Cats began their foray into the tournament with a 2-2 draw against Athletic Bilbao at the Stadium of Light last week, producing a performance that both delighted and frustrated manager Graeme Murty.
Speaking to The Echo after the final whistle, he said: “I thought for the first half of the first half we were really good and we've shot ourselves in the foot by showcasing some of the worst parts of our game but up until that point, I thought the lads took to the occasion well. They dealt with the ball well and they were enjoying the challenge of playing against European opposition which is all we can hope for because for some of these young players, it's a big occasion for them so they handled the initial part of it well. We stuttered, we shot ourselves in the foot.
“We had some brilliant feedback because against teams of this level, if you give them the chance you're going to get punished and as much as we can extol the virtues of being clinical they need to see it, they need to feel it and then they've had to show another part of their game which is the resolve and the grit to keep on going to hopefully push and get an equaliser which I thought they actually really deserved. I am proud of them for that if a little bit frustrated that we haven't been slicker and smoother at times with the ball.”
The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.
And after hosting Monchengladbach at the Eppleton Colliary Welfare Ground in midweek, Sunderland will be back in Premier League International Cup action when they face French giants Lyon early next month. With that in mind, we’ve picked out a number of the best and brightest U21 players that you should be keeping an eye on over the next fortnight as they bid for a spot in the knockout rounds of the competition, and to impress first team boss Regis Le Bris in the process. Check out our gallery below...
5. Elias Lenz
Capable of dictating the tempo of a game from the centre of midfield, Lenz arrived on Wearside from RB Leipzig over the summer, and has impressed in the time since. | Ben Cuthbertson Photo: Ben Cuthbertson
6. Jewison Bennette
Unable to seal a loan move over the summer, Bennette is likely to remain in and around the U21s until the January window at least. Bright out on the wing, there have been tentative experiments with playing him at left-back - something to watch out for, for sure. | Jewison Bennette by Chris Fryatt
7. Timur Tutierov
The Ukrainian is blessed with an electric burst of pace, and plenty of potential. Still rough around the edges, but there is certainly a player in there. | Ben Cuthbertson
8. Blondy Nna Noukeu
Summer signing Noukeu was given the nod between the sticks against Bilbao, and may feature again against Monchengladbach and Lyon. Photo: Getty Images