Sunderland’s quest for promotion from League One has taken many twists and turns this season.
The Black Cats have just seven games left this season to solidify their place in the playoffs - but who will Alex Neil be relying on to deliver this?
Players come in and out of form throughout a season but when the crunch-end of the campaign comes around, it is often the most reliable players that can be counted on to deliver the goods.
With that in mind, here, we take a look at how each member of Sunderland’s squad this season has been rated by WhoScored.com - calculated using their algorithms that comprise of over 200 raw statistics.
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(Note: To qualify for this list, a player must have played at least 500 minutes of League One football this season)
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Players come in and out of form throughout a season but when the crunch-end of the campaign comes around, it is often the most reliable players that can be counted on to deliver the goods.
5. Elliot Embleton - 6.64
The 22-year-old has finally had a run of games in a Sunderland shirt and has five goals and five assists to his name. Embleton has a 6.64 rating on WhoScored. Photo: Frank Reid
6. Carl Winchester - 6.66
Winchester has been Sunderland’s utility man this season and has featured in a variety of roles in defence and midfield. His WhoScored rating is 6.66. Photo: Frank Reid
7. Bailey Wright - 6.67
Wright has deputised as captain at times this season and has been an ever-present during Alex Neil’s time in charge of the Black Cats. His WhoScored average rating is 6.67. Photo: Frank Reid
8. Jack Clarke - 6.71
Clarke arrived in January and grabbed his first Sunderland goal in the victory over Fleetwood which he followed up with an assist against Crewe Alexandra. Clarke has been given a 6.71 rating for his efforts in his eleven appearances as a Sunderland player this season. Photo: Frank Reid