Sunderland's Corry Evans question as contract decisions loom for Kristjaan Speakman and club hierarchy

Sunderland boss Mike Dodds won’t have intended to make a double substitution at the half-time interval against Sheffield Wednesday - yet his side’s lack of control in central midfield needed addressing.

It’s an area where the squad has lacked depth throughout the season, while Dan Neil’s ankle injury left a big void in the Black Cats’ engine room for their final three games of the campaign.

Against Wednesday, Dodds opted to play Callum Styles alongside Pierre Ekwah, yet Sunderland were too easy to play through out of possession. Danny Rohl’s side cut them open twice in the first half, proving decisive as the Owls secured more than the point they needed to stay up with a 2-0 win. 

While Wednesday admittedly had less incentive to attack in the second half, Sunderland were more balanced after Corry Evans replaced Styles at half-time, while Chris Rigg was also introduced on the right in place of Patrick Roberts.

For Evans, this was the midfielder’s third senior appearance off the bench since returning from an ACL injury. Sunderland now have to decide if they want to trigger the one-year extension option in the 33-year-old’s contract, with the club looking to build a side which is ready to challenge for promotion next season.

Initially it may seem like a natural time for Evans to move on with everyone’s best wishes, after playing a key part in Sunderland’s promotion from League One and initial return to the Championship. It’s also unclear whether the midfielder will be able to reach the level he was at before his lengthy injury setback - which kept him sidelined for over a year.

Yet, as well as Evans’ leadership and influence in the dressing room, there is a case for keeping the midfielder for at least another year. In Evans’ absence, Neil has been forced to play in a holding midfield role, where he has performed well but hasn’t been able to demonstrate his full skillset.

As was shown against Sheffield Wednesday, Sunderland haven’t had a natural replacement for Evans, an area which surely needs to be addressed this summer. Extending the 33-year-old’s contract by an extra year may help address the issue, even if the club captain isn’t expected to start week in, week out.