Ex-West Ham and Everton men start for strong Sunderland U21s team against Stoke City

Several Sunderland first-team players will feature for the club's under-21s side against Stoke City at Eppleton CW tonight.

By Joe Nicholson

Published 6th Mar 2023, 18:34 BST- 1 min read

Joe Anderson, Abdoullah Ba, Pierre Ekwah, Isaac Lihadji and Jewison Bennette have all been named in the starting XI for Graeme Murty’s s team for the Premier League 2, Division 2, fixture.

Anderson, Ekwah and Lihadji all joined Sunderland during the January transfer window but are yet to start a senior fixture since their arrivals on Wearside.

After joining the club from Everton, Anderson, 22, played for the under-21s side against Aston Villa last time out as the young Black Cats were beaten 6-4 away from home.

Joe Anderson joined Sunderland from Everton in January. (Photo by Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)

Ekwah has made four appearances off the bench for Sunderland’s first team after joining the club from West Ham for an undisclosed fee.

Sunderland U21s XI to play Stoke U21s: Richardson, Johnson, Anderson, Crompton, Taylor, Ekwah, Rigg, Lihadji, Ba, Bennette, Gardiner

Subs: Young, Kelly, Watson, Middlemas, WIlson

Stoke City Sunderland Everton