Sunderland Under-23s are back in action for 2022 this Wednesday night, as matchday five of this season’s Premier League Cup group stage looms against Leeds United at the LNER Community Stadium in York (KO 7pm).
Qualification is still all to play for in Group E of the competition, with the Lads currently in third spot, level on four points with second-placed Mansfield Town. Leeds sit at the foot of the group table, albeit with a game in hand on the young Lads.
Mike Dodds and Michael Proctor head into the match having gone three weeks without a fixture – the last contest being played by the U23s resulting in a 1-1 draw at Eppleton with Mansfield on December 13 in the same cup competition – Tyrese Dyce scoring an equaliser on the night. The following scheduled Premier League 2 match with Aston Villa before Christmas was postponed due to frozen areas of the Eppleton pitch, with the youngsters now set to resume a busy period of football.
The reverse fixture in the group with Leeds resulted in an impressive 2-1 victory for the Lads at the Stadium of Light back in October, Cameron Jessup and Ethan Kachosa netting their first Sunderland goals either side of half-time to secure the three points - the latter against his former club.
A near-fully fit squad is expected to travel down to Yorkshire for the evening’s clash, with the exception of loanees Sam Wilding and Kenton Richardson, and any players potentially in Lee Johnson’s first-team plans for Saturday’s visit to Wycombe Wanderers. Benji Kimpioka, Will Harris, Ollie Younger and Cieran Dunne could however travel to earn minutes ahead of the weekend, whilst new Academy signing Nicky Gyimah could make his first appearance since scoring whilst on trial with the Lads against South Shields in late October.
Live streaming of the match will take place on Leeds United’s LUTV official channel, with a small monthly subscription fee required to view.
Social media coverage will be active via SAFC’s official Twitter account, @SunderlandAFC.