Sunderland U21s get their Premier League 2 campaign underway against Tottenham on Monday evening
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Graeme Murty has named his Sunderland U21s side for the opening fixture of the Premier League 2 campaign against Tottenham Hotspur – and there’s a notable omission.
Jay Matete, who started in side during last week’s 3-2 comeback win over Scunthorpe in the National League Trophy, is not involved at all. The 24-year-old’s absence will inevitably raise questions over his future, with speculation over a potential move continuing to swirl late in the transfer window. Senior head coach Régis Le Bris has confirmed that Matete can leave the club this summer, and his non-inclusion may indicate a deal is close.
Sunderland’s line-up shows several changes from the team that featured in Lincolnshire, with Jenson Jones starting in defence, while Tutierov comes into the forward line alongside Poveda, Whittaker and Ogunsuyi. Middlemas captains the side.
The Black Cats will hope to take momentum into the PL2 opener after their dramatic win at Scunthorpe, where they fought back from 2-0 down to secure victory in stoppage time. That match saw Matete play a key role – but his absence against Spurs may indicate movement behind the scenes.
Matete has been linked with a number of clubs this summer, and while Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris is understood to value his versatility, the strength of midfield competition at senior level – with Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, Habib Diarra, Enzo Le Fée, Dan Neil, Alan Browne and Chris Rigg all ahead in the pecking order – could leave opportunities limited.
For now, Murty’s youngsters will look to make a strong start in Premier League 2, with several academy graduates handed the chance to impress. But the talking point will inevitably be Matete, whose absence suggests his Sunderland future may soon be decided. The inclusion of Poveda also suggests that his exit from the club is not imminent.
Sunderland XI: Allan, Jenson Jones, Holcroft, Kindon, Bainbridge, Burke, Middlemas, Whittaker, Poveda, Tutierov, Ogunsuyi
Subs: Cameron, Lightfoot, Jaydon Jones, Scott, Dinsdale
What did Régis Le Bris say after Sunderland vs West Ham?
Head coach Régis Le Bris hailed Sunderland’s players after their 3-0 victory over West Ham United but warned that humility and togetherness must remain central to their Premier League campaign.
The Black Cats returned to the top flight in style on Saturday, with second-half goals from Eliezer Mayenda, Dan Ballard and Wilson Isidor sealing their first Premier League win in over eight years.
Le Bris was delighted with the way his players responded to half-time instructions after a challenging first half and praised their ability to execute the gameplan. He also revealed that captain Granit Xhaka addressed the squad post-match to stress the importance of staying united.
“I'm happy for the fans and the players and the club,” Le Bris said. “We had different phases of pre-season and we spoke about the layers we needed to add. It was obvious that it starts from the foundations – we showed that the team is working well.
He added: “They were hard to beat in a mid to low block. The first half was a bit more difficult but during the second half we felt we could get opportunities through regains in the middle and that we could score through counter attacks.
“We didn't change many important things at half time. We spoke a bit about their goalkeeper restarts and our high press, we went for man for man and they found two or three opportunities with long balls. So it was really important to be strong in duels. We made just two or three little decisions, and it made a difference.”
Le Bris was also keen to highlight that Sunderland’s three goals came from players who were already at the club last season, despite a summer of heavy recruitment. “It's really important for two reasons, they showed they can step up [first and foremost],” he said.
“We'll see later, but today it was the case. And it's really important because they keep the identity of the club and the way we worked last season. We built this strength about togetherness, the way we work as a team. The players worked well as a team and they showed that again today.”
The Frenchman added that while the opening-day victory was a proud moment for everyone connected to the club, Sunderland would remain focused on the long campaign ahead.