'He needs to start!': Sunderland fans fume as key man DROPPED against Southend United

The Black Cats have made THREE changes from the side that suffered a penalty shootout defeat at Oxford United in midweek – with Marc McNulty, Grant Leadbitter and Tom Flanagan dropping out the side.

And fans were disappointed to see McNulty – who netted at Oxford – consigned to the bench. Here’s what they’ve been saying on social media:

@JBrownie_99 said: “McNulty needs to start like”

@TalonPlaysYT added: “Drop Grigg for crying out loud! He's not putting the effort in, bang Sparky into the team and watch actual effort.”

@RamseySAFC posted: “4-0 win. 2 for Grigg and we're still gunna win the league”

@Lewis_h__ commented: “Dire team”

But @Rogan_Teasdale argued: “Decent team”

@LE_Confusion_ said: “STOP PLAYING MAGUIRE OUT WIDE AHHHHHHHHHHH”

@MarkCarrick08 tweeted: “Let's face it, if Grigg can't score against Southend he may as well pack it up. And Parky giving him the opportunity is not altogether a bad thing. I'd expect McNulty to come on at some point of proceedings tho.”

@Tricolor821 added: “Against the worst team of the league we don’t play Grigg and McNulty up front from the beginning??”

@EddieSAFCx commented: “Grigg has been playing well bar that penalty miss. Parky is rightly starting him. A chance to keep playing well if not no doubt mcnulty will come on”

Sunderland AFC XI: J McLaughlin; C McLaughlin, Willis, Lynch, Hume; Dobson, Power; Maguire, McGeady, O’Nien; Grigg

Sunderland AFC subs: Patterson, McGeouch, Flanagan, Watmore, Leadbitter, McNulty, Kimpioka