Sunderland U21s name team to face Middlesbrough as Tom Watson starts at the Stadium of Light

Sunderland have elected not to name any first-team players in their starting XI for their under-21s fixture against Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light.

The young Black Cats have used the Premier League 2 competition to give game time to those who haven’t started for the senior side, like when Graeme Murty’s side faced Newcastle and Leicester last month.

Caden Kelly and Harrison Jones, who have both been part of the first-team’s matchday squad this season, will start against Middlesbrough, along with 17-year-old winger Tom Watson.

Sunderland U21s XI to play Middlesbrough: Richardson, Lavery, Fieldson, Bell, Bainbridge, Middlemas, Burke, Jones, Watson, Kelly, Ogunsuyi

Subs: Chibueze, Jenson, Jones, Taylor, Ryder, Tutierov