Sunderland could find Neil 2.0 in Sohna

Sunderland have loved a superb begin to life again within the Championship as they sit eighth within the desk after eight video games within the division. 

They’ve solely misplaced three matches within the second tier after profitable promotion from League One – by way of the play-offs – within the 2021/22 marketing campaign.

The likes of Ross Stewart and Alex Pritchard have predictably impressed however one other participant who has established themselves as a daily within the group is academy product, Daniel Neil.

He has began seven of the membership’s eight matches within the league and not too long ago put in a monstrous efficiency in opposition to Norwich Metropolis, who’re second within the desk. The central midfielder recorded a SofaScore ranking of 8.0 as he received 11 of his 17 particular person duels and made a whopping eight tackles and three interceptions, while additionally creating three possibilities.

This comes after Neil began 31 occasions in League One final season on the membership’s solution to promotion out of the third tier. He has made the breakthrough from the youth set-up and made himself a key member of the first-team squad, displaying that there’s a pathway for younger gamers on the Academy of Mild.

Tony Mowbray may now unearth the subsequent Daniel Neil in central midfielder Harrison Sohna, who joined the membership from Premier League aspect Aston Villa in the summertime of 2021.

He was handed his full first-team debut by former supervisor Alex Neil final month as he began within the 2-0 defeat to Sheffield Wednesday within the League Cup. Though it was a disappointing outcome for the Black Cats, the 20-year-old did catch the attention as he made four tackles and interceptions and received 100% of his aerial battles in the course of the park.

Sohna additionally had a style of first-team soccer as he performed three matches within the EFL Trophy final season. He averaged 1.7 tackles and interceptions per sport, while additionally finishing 88% of his tried passes, in fixtures in opposition to Lincoln, Bradford and Manchester United’s youth group.

These statistics counsel that he’s a combative midfielder who may pick a cross, which makes him just like Neil in that he could make an impression on and off the ball from that place.

May Sohna be the subsequent Neil?

Journalist Josh Bunting not too long ago described him as being “sharp” and claimed that he was “excellent” as he caught the attention in a pre-season pleasant.

The 20-year-old’s performances within the build-up to the present marketing campaign clearly impressed Alex Neil sufficient to persuade him that the gem was able to make his first-team debut, suggesting that he could have the potential to be a daily sooner or later.

If Sohna can proceed to develop and hone his expertise within the coming weeks and months then he may find yourself being the subsequent Daniel Neil to make the step as much as the primary group in midfield, placing in ‘glorious’ shows week-in-week-out for the Black Cats.