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.”
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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...
9. Ben Crompton
Picked up a hamstring complaint against Bilbao that may sideline him, but when he does feature, he is an important figure for the U21s. Photo: Frank Reid
10. Tom Lavery
A defensively-assured full-back, Lavery will be hoping to kick on and force his way into a first team squad that looks decidedly lacking in full-back areas over the coming months. Photo: FRANK REID
11. Nazariy Rusyn
Another who is on the periphery of the first team picture, Rusyn could be handed more minutes in midweek as he looks to maintain his match sharpness. | Chris Fryatt
12. Caden Kelly
Always very tidy in possession, it does sometimes feel as if Sunderland are not 100% sure where Kelly's best position is just yet. Will they have a better idea following their next couple of U21s fixtures? Photo: Chris Fryatt