The three Sunderland players who sent a clear message to Phil Parkinson against Carlisle

But while plenty staked their claim for a place and sent a clear message to Phil Parkinson, others struggled to make a tangible impact as the League One restart looms large.

We take a look at the key tales that emerged from the 3-1 win and the main beneficiaries of the friendly:

A good day for…

Charlie Wyke

The pre-match focus was squarely on Will Grigg after his impressive cameo at Gateshead, but post-match it was all about Wyke. As Grigg did at the International Stadium on Saturday, Wyke made a sizeable impression off the bench and helped to turn the game on its head – netting twice against his former club.

Neither goal was anything particularly special, but they were two predatory finishes that came after good moves. They were the type of chances that Sunderland need to be finishing, and will no doubt give Wyke confidence moving into the new campaign.

There is now a real dilemma facing Parkinson – does he stick with Wyke, his trusted option, or give Grigg a go against Bristol Rovers? After his performance against Carlisle, the ball looks to be in Wyke’s court.

Dan Neil

Unlucky not to be on the scoresheet at least once during his appearance from the bench, Neil built upon a promising display at Gateshead with a 30-minute cameo packed with energy, drive and desire.

He was a constant thorn in the side of the Carlisle backline with his relentless pressing and movement proving difficult to deal with.

Caution must be urged - but there is plenty to be positive about when it comes to Neil, who will know find himself squarely in Parkinson’s thoughts.

Josh Scowen

Upon signing for Sunderland, Scowen was quick in sharing the nickname he has acquired throughout his footballing career – ‘The Rat’.

And it’s clear to see why. Tenacious, energetic and an excellent reader of the game, Scowen was the Black Cats’ shining light in an otherwise drab first-half against the Cumbrians. He came close to a goal with a well-struck effort from 20 yards and did well to break up a number of visiting attacks.

While he only started once before the 2019/20 League One campaign was curtailed, its fair to say he’s now a leading contender to start the new season on September 12.

A bad day for…

Remi Matthews

This wasn’t the debut Matthews will have wanted.

While he was commanding enough in the air and showed a good range of distribution, the error that led to Carlisle’s goal can’t be ignored.

The number one shirt, therefore, looks to still be in Lee Burge’s grasp for the time being.

Lynden Gooch

A ‘bad’ day may be a tad harsh, but Gooch didn’t hit the heights we have perhaps come to expect.

It was a shame to see Sunderland squander a number of set-pieces in the first-half, with many of Gooch’s deliveries failing to beat the first man.

Improvements on that front are drastically needed before the big kick-off.

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