Elliot Embleton scores for Sunderland at Hartlepool UnitedElliot Embleton scores for Sunderland at Hartlepool United
Elliot Embleton scores for Sunderland at Hartlepool United

The Sunderland AFC pre-season player grades and the difficult decisions facing Alex Neil

Sunderland brought their pre-season campaign to a conclusion with a 1-1 draw to Hartlepool United.

It was a mixed campaign for the Black Cats, who impressed against Rangers and for the most part against AS Roma, but fell to disappointing defeats against Bradford City and Accrington Stanley.

Alex Neil was largely pleased though, noting that the most important part of the programme is match fitness.

Neil also felt that his side should have won at least their last two fixtures, and so is heading into the opening game of the season in a positive frame of mind even as he looks to add much-needed competition to his squad.

With that in mind, we run through the senior players to feature regularly in pre-season to assess their progress, and determine who might well have left the head coach with some difficult selection decisions to make ahead of the weekend and beyond...