Reading 0 Sunderland 3: Highlights after Jack Clarke goal, Patrick Roberts double and Ellis Simms injury blow
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The Black Cats were dealt a first-half blow when striker Ellis Simms limped off the pitch with an injury.
Yet two goals from Patrick Roberts in quick succession before the break put the visitors in a commanding position.
Jack Clarke then added a third in the 69th minute as Sunderland recorded their joint biggest win of the season.
Here’s how the game played out:
RECAP: Reading 0 Sunderland 3 (Roberts, 39, 41) (Clarke, 69)
Key Events
- Sunderland XI: Patterson, O’Nien, Batth, Alese, Gooch, Evans (Bennette, 81) , Neil, Clarke, Pritchard (Matete, 73), Roberts (Diallo, 73), Simms (Embleton, 37)
- Subs: Bass, Hume, Matete, Embleton, Bennette, Dajaku, Diallo
- Reading XI: Lumley, Yiadom, Holmes, Hutchinson (Meite, 65) , McIntyre, Hoilett, Loum (Rahman, 45), Fornah, Hendrick, Ince, Joao (Craig, 81)
- Subs: Bouzanis, Guinness-Walker, Rahman, Abrefa, Ehibhatiomhan, Craig, Meite
What to make of that side
So as expected it’s one change from the side which started against Middlesbrough, with Aji Alese coming in to make his first league start for Sunderland in place of the injured Dennis Cirkin.
Jewison Bennette is on the bench for the first time since joining the Black Cats last month,
Bailey Wright also drops out of the squad as Trai Hume is named on the bench.
Reading make one change from their 2-1 win over Stoke last time out as Mamadou Loum returns to the starting XI in place of Shane Long.
Predicted line-ups
Here are our predicted line-ups for the match:
Predicted Sunderland XI: Patterson; O’Nien, Batth, Alese; Gooch, Evans, Neil, Clarke; Pritchard, Roberts; Simms
Predicted Reading XI: Lumley; Yiadom, Holmes, Hutchinson, McIntyre, Rahman; Loum, Fornah, Hendrick; Ince, Joao
Reading team news
Reading could welcome back striker Shane Long, who has been sidelined with an injury, as well as forward Yakou Meite and midfielder Mamadou Loum.
“Yak is back training, maybe it is too early to start but he should be back in contention either this week on Wednesday,” said Royals boss Paul Ince.
“Mamadou Loum is also back in training.”
Former Sunderland midfielder Ovie Ejaria remains sidelined, though, along with defenders Naby Sarr and Scott Dann.
“Naby will be another couple of weeks, he won’t be back before Wigan I wouldn’t have thought,” Ince added.
“Ovie is back in the gym doing some stuff and was on the grass today, but not doing too much.
“So I’m hoping after the international break he will be back.”
