Phil Parkinson named a young side for Sunderland ’s final EFL Trophy group game at Fleetwood, with the Black Cats having already secured their place in the knockout stages.
He included four first-teamers men in his starting line-up, with centre-back Jordan Willis – who has missed recent games with a knee problem – given some minutes in preparation for an expected return in this weekend’s league game against MK Dons.
Wingback Callum McFadzean made his debut in the FA Cup defeat against Mansfield at the weekend and was again included, while George Dobson played in midfield and Aiden O’Brien started up front.
Youngsters on the fringes of the first-team such as Jack Diamond, Dan Neil, and Elliot Embleton all started.
But Parkinson also brought in a number of players from the U23 side, handing goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, centre-back Ollie Younger, and ex-Hartlepool forward Josh Hawkes their debuts, while academy graduate Brandon Taylor also came into the team.
SAFC XI: Patterson, Taylor, Willis, Younger, Diamond, Dobson, Embleton, Neil, McFadzean, Hawkes, O’Brien
Subs: Richardson, Dunne, Wilding, Steels, Wearne, Curry, Almond
