Two Sunderland first team players feature as Black Cats face Middlesbrough in FA Youth Cup

Chris Rigg and Tom Watson have been named in Sunderland's side to face Middlesbrough in the under-18 FA Youth Cup at the Stadium of Light on Thursday evening.

Rigg, who signed a scholarship deal at Sunderland last summer, has scored twice for the Black Cats' first-team against Crewe Alexandra in the Carabao Cup and Southampton in the Championship.

Watson signed a new three-year contract with Sunderland in September 2023 and made his first-team debut as a substitute against Huddersfield Town earlier this year.

Rigg has recently returned from the World Cup with England in Indonesia for the under-17s tournament but has not featured in the first team since his return to Wearside. Both Watson and Rigg, though, have caught the eye of fans in recent weeks while playing for Sunderland's youth teams.

Sunderland's starting XI: Ben Young, Tom Lavery, Finlay Holcroft, Luke Bell, Jaydon Jones, Jenson Jones, Chris Rigg, Josh Robertson, Tom Watson, Ben Creamer, Trey Ogunsuyi.