Sunderland U21s played out a 1-1 draw with local rivals Newcastle United in the Premier League 2 on Friday afternoon.
The Black Cats took the lead partway through the second half when full-back Tom Lavery headed home a Harrison Jones corner, but the visitors levelled things up at the Academy of Light less than 10 minutes later.
Friday’s contest was also notable insofar that it marked a return to action for senior defender Aji Alese, who registered 45 minutes for Graeme Murty’s development side before a planned substitution at the interval. Here’s how he, and the rest of Sunderland’s side, rated...
5. Tom Lavery
Played at right-back and looked comfortable throughout the opening 45 minutes. He opened the scoring with a cute header from a corner and remained solid in the second half. Arguably Sunderland’s standout performer on the day. 8 Photo: Stu Forster
6. Liam Hunt
Looked to get on the ball at every opportunity and showed some neat touches, anchoring the midfield well at times. He kept things ticking over despite some loose passes. 6 | Sunderland AFC
7. Harrison Jones
Provided the assist for the opening goal from a corner and worked hard all game. He was tidy in possession and contributed well on both sides of the ball. 7 | Harrison Jones
8. Jack Whittaker
Played in midfield alongside Harrison Jones and Liam Hunt and battled hard throughout. He stuck to his task well and used the ball neatly over the course of the game. 6 | Jack Whittaker