Sunderland step up their pre-season campaign against Liverpool on Saturday night
Régis Le Bris has named a strong Sunderland side to face Liverpool in Nashville on Sunday night.
Wilson Isidor starts up front for the first time in pre-season, having joined his team mates back in training at the start of the tour. Le Bris has also been handed a double boost with Dan Ballard and Romaine Mundle also fit to start for the first time in the pre-season campaign.
Isidor replaces Trey Ogunsuyi, with Mundle replacing Timur Tutierov. Ballard’s return means that Nordi Mukiele moves across to right back, with Trai Hume returning to the right-wing role where he finished last season. Jocelin Ta Bi is currently absent from the tour having had his visa application rejected, and though Sunderland have appealed the decision there has of yet not been a resolution.
Brian Brobbey, Nilson Angulo, Habib Diarra, Robin Roefs, Simon Adingra, Arthur Masuaku, and Noah Sadiki are not involved in this game and will link up with their team mates tomorrow as the tour moves on. Granit Xhaka, Chemsdine Talbi, Omar Alderete, and Thomas Meunier will link up with the squad later in pre-season back on Wearside.
Sunderland currently have a 26-strong squad out in Nashville, and a more youthful XI is expected to take the field at some stage in the second half. The game kicks off at 11pm BST and you can follow live updates in our matchday live blog here.
Sunderland XI: Ellborg; Mukiele, Ballard, O’Nien, Reinildo; Browne, Rigg, Le Fée; Hume, Mundle, Isidor
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Liverpool team news for Sunderland clash
Andoni Iraola takes charge of his first game as Liverpool boss tonight and has named a very youthful XI with many of his senior players on a post World Cup break. Dominik Szoboszlai is named on the bench and could get some minutes later in the game, but there is no place in the squad for new signing Jérémy Jacquet. Former Sunderland academy midfielder James McConnell starts.
Liverpool: Mamardashvili, Frimpong, Gomez, N’Diaye, Tsimikas, Jones, Elliott, McConnell, Ngumoha, Wright, Morrison.
Subs: Woodman, Davies, Kerkez, Szoboszlai, Chiesa, Abe, Nyoni, Chambers, Ramsay, Scanlon, Koumas, Sonni-Lambie, Ndukwe.