Hull boss Grant McCann makes this promotion prediction as he offers his verdict on Sunderland's summer recruitment
Hull City boss Grant McCann believes Sunderland will once again be in promotion contention come the end of the League One season – and feels that Phil Parkinson has ‘strengthened well’ over the summer.
Both the Black Cats and the Tigers are tipped to be challenging towards the upper echelons of the third tier in May, meaning the Carabao Cup clash will prove to be a useful litmus test for McCann and opposite number Phil Parkinson.
"You would have thought so,” said McCann, when quizzed on whether Sunderland would be battling for a return to the Championship.
"They're always up there.
“The year I was there with Doncaster they got beat in the play-off final against Charlton and last season they were right up there.
“Sunderland will be in and around it for sure, so this will give us a good marker.
“It's a tough game,” he continued.
“They've got a strong squad there and have strengthened well as well.
“But if we want to be up in and around the top end of the league this year, as we do, and I'm sure Sunderland are thinking the same - it'll be a good marker for us to see where we are.”
Hull were relegated from the second tier last term after a disappointing end to the campaign, leaving McCann to address a number of key issues over the summer.
But he is confident that some positive changes will be evident when the side take to the field on Wearside.
“Ultimately we want to play on the front foot, be a team that wants to get after teams and create and score a lot of goals,” he said.
“But at the same time we know we have to be strong defensively. Areas we've looked at, we weren't good enough at attacking or defensive set plays - although after lockdown we looked a lot stronger.
“There's a lot of areas we've worked on over these last three or four weeks to try and put us in a better place for approaching this season. We look to try and implement that from Saturday onwards.”