Alex Neil still has a few big calls to make ahead of the new Championship experienceAlex Neil still has a few big calls to make ahead of the new Championship experience
Alex Neil still has a few big calls to make ahead of the new Championship experience

The Sunderland AFC XI that looks set to face Coventry City next week - and the positions still up for grabs

The opening day visit of Coventry City is drawing ever closer, and so opportunities to impress Alex Neil are fast reducing.

The Black Cats travel to Accrington Stanley on Saturday afternoon and Hartlepool United on Monday night, with Neil likely to again split his squad into two largely distinct groups for each fixture.

The core of last season's group has been kept just about intact, with so far Dan Ballard and Aji Alese the only arrivals ahead of the Championship season.

Most of Sunderland's pre-season line ups have therefore had a familiar look to them, with more extensive experimentation at Bradford City on Tuesday night producing a mostly disappointing performance.

So who looks nailed on to take their place in the starting XI a week on Sunday, and which positions are still very much to be settled ahead of the final two fixtures of the pre-season programme?

We take a closer look...