Sunderland’s under-21s were beaten 3-1 by Tottenham in the final of Premier League 2 - yet how did each player fare for the young Black Cats?
Spurs striker Will Lankshear scored twice either side of half-time, before Tottenham captain George Abbott added a third in stoppage time. Timur Tuterov then scored a consolation goal for the visitors just before the end. The scoreline felt harsh on Sunderland, who created multiple chances and were confident in possession, with Harrison Jones and Tom Watson hitting the post.
Here’s how each Sunderland player fared at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium:
1. Adam Richardson - 7
Couldn’t do much with the first two goals which were converted from close range. Did well to gather a few crosses in the first half and made a few comfortable saves. Was also quick off his line to clear the ball after Oliver Bainbridge’s short back pass. 7 Photo: Frank Reid
2. Ellis Taylor - 6
Had a few tricky moments in the first half against Tottenham winger Yago Santiago. Stuck to his task but allowed Lankshear to get ahead of him for the opener. Managed to get forward a few times but wasn’t able to repeat one of his excellent strikes from previous rounds. 6 Photo: Chris Fryatt
3. Henry Fieldson - 6
Was aggressive when trying to win the ball against a strong Tottenham forward line and made some brave challenges. Sometimes jumped in too soon and became isolated before Spurs’ second goal as Sunderland’s backline became stretched. 6 Photo: Chris Fryatt
4. Luke Bell - 7
Another encouraging showing from the 17-year-old centre-back. Was comfortable receiving the ball before looking to play it into midfield. Came off after a knock in the closing stages. 7 Photo: Chris Fryatt