Sunderland return from the international break and are back in action this afternoon as they travel away from the Stadium of Light to take on Stoke City.
Tony Mowbray is up against the man he replaced in the dugout on Wearside – Alex Neil – and may be hoping to get one over the Scotsman.
The Black Cats are currently fourth in the league table and have won an impressive five of their last seven games to propel them into a play-off position.
However, they are coming into this match against the Potters off the back of a 4-0 defeat to local rivals Middlesbrough at home before the break.
Former Sunderland academy prospect Sam Greenwood got on the scoresheet as the away side ran away with the game and secured a comfortable win.
What’s the latest Sunderland team news?
The Black Cats head coach has provided the latest fitness and injury news ahead of the game and a number of players are set to be unavailable for selection.
Dennis Cirkin and Eliezer Mayenda are two players who will not feature as they continue to step up their respective recoveries. They have both returned to first-team training but are due to play for the U21 side on Monday to build their match fitness back up.
Aji Alese and Timothee Pembele are also out of action and are both set to be on the sidelines for a while yet. The former could be back within a week or two, whereas Mowbray has confirmed that the latter will be missing for another four weeks.
Sunderland will also be without central midfielder Dan Neil after his controversial red card against Boro last time out, which opens up a spot in midfield.
With this in mind, the manager must now finally unleash teenage ace Chris Rigg from the start for the first time at Championship level.
Why was Dan Neil sent off against Middlesbrough?
The Sunderland academy graduate was sent off for two bookable offences during the first half and the second one came in controversial circumstances as the referee showed him a second yellow for dissent.
After the match, Mowbray revealed that the referee assessor came into his office to discuss the decision and inferred that this was due to his belief that the match official got the decision wrong or acted harshly.
The manager confirmed that Neil’s dissent was not for foul language or any abuse towards the referee and that, instead, it was due to him gesticulating his arms at a decision in a different part of the pitch.
Mowbray must now face Stoke without the central midfielder, as he serves his one-match suspension, and Rigg could benefit from that frustrating piece of refereeing.
Will Rigg start against Stoke?
The 16-year-old dynamo is yet to start a league match for the club but the Sunderland head coach could be bold and provide the gem with a huge chance to impress this afternoon.
He has already made four appearances as a substitute at Championship level and provided a glimpse of what he is capable of against Southampton earlier this season.
Rigg came off the bench against the Saints in September and caught the eye with his first league goal for the club. Jewison Bennette danced around multiple defenders before a fantastic cross into the box allowed the teenage gem to rise above his marker and plant a header into the bottom corner.
The academy graduate also impressed in a start against Crewe in the EFL Cup earlier this term. Mowbray handed him a start in central midfield next to Dan Neil and the youngster grasped his opportunity.
He recorded a Sofascore rating of 8.2 and contributed on and off the ball. As per Sofascore, Rigg scored one goal, completed two dribbles, and won six of his ten duels. The talented ace also created two chances and enjoyed a pass completion rate of 91% over his 90 minutes on the pitch.
These statistics suggest that the English prospect has the ability to impact games at both ends of the pitch with his ability to score goals and create chances, whilst also being a dominant defensive force who can cut out opposition attacks.
The central midfielder, who scored two goals and provided four assists in 15 U18 games for Sunderland, has taken his chances when they have come, off the bench in the Championship and from the start against Crewe.
This is why Mowbray must name him in his starting XI for the game today to provide him with the opportunity to take another step in his development as a starter at league level.
How has Neil performed this season?
The 21-year-old ace has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign and has been an impressive performer at the heart of the midfield for the Black Cats.
Neil has started all 11 of the club’s Championship matches this term – a run that will come to an end today – and has contributed with two goals and two assists, along with 1.5 key passes per game, as per Sofascore.
The English maestro has completed 90% of his attempted passes and won 55% of his duels. This suggests that the midfielder has been a reliable passer in the middle of the park who is also able to hold his own in physical contests against the opposition.
Neil is a well-rounded player who can make an impact in and out of possession, as shown by the aforementioned statistics, and that is why his absence could come as a big blow to Sunderland for this clash with Stoke.
However, Rigg’s showing against Crewe in the EFL Cup suggests that the potential is there for him to produce a similar level of performance this afternoon if he can translate that over to Championship level over the course of 90 minutes.
The talented whiz showcased his ability to create chances, whilst maintaining a high pass completion rate, and won the majority of his battles, to go along with his goal.
It is now down to Mowbray to unleash the 16-year-old ace, who he once dubbed an “animal” with a “wonderful” left foot, from the start in place of his compatriot.
