Matt Craddock has named his Sunderland U21 side to face Jong PSV in the Premier League International Cup
Matt Craddock has named his first competitive Sunderland Under-21 side as the young Black Cats take on Jong PSV in the Premier League International Cup at the Stadium of Light.
Joe Cowan starts in goal for Sunderland, while Jenson Jones, Lightfoot, Hunt and Aji Alese are also included in the starting XI. Alese’s involvement provides some senior experience for a young Sunderland side as he continues to build his fitness.
Finlay Holcroft and Felix Scott also start, with Whitaker handed a place in midfield. Further forward, Trey Ogunsuyi, Tom Proctor and Timur Tutierov make up an exciting attacking contingent for Sunderland. Tutierov has already caught the eye during the summer after impressing in first-team pre-season action, while Ogunsuyi and Proctor are among the other highly-rated young players looking to continue their development this season.
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Craddock also has a number of options available from the bench, with Ben Metcalf, Reid, Charlie Dinsdale, Bayley Hester, Scorer, Kay Munyakazi and Marcus Neill named among the substitutes. The fixture represents Sunderland Under-21s’ first competitive action of the new campaign and Craddock’s first competitive match in charge after replacing Graeme Murty during the summer.
Sunderland are facing Jong PSV at the Stadium of Light as part of the Premier League International Cup, a competition which provides English academy sides with the opportunity to test themselves against development teams from across Europe.
Sunderland U21s: Cowan, Jenson Jones, Lightfoot, Hunt, Alese, Holcroft, Scott, Whitaker, Ogunsuyi, Proctor, Tutierov.
Subs: Metcalf, Reid, Dinsdale, Hester, Scorer, Munyakazi, Neill.
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