Sunderland must unleash Joe Gelhardt

Sunderland return to motion within the Championship on Saturday as they host Studying on the Stadium of Gentle with the hope of bouncing again from their defeat to Fulham.

Tony Mowbray’s facet had been overwhelmed 3-2 by the Premier League facet of their FA Cup fourth-round replay on Wednesday night time in an exhilarating match on Wearside.

The Black Cats put in a spirited show towards Marco Silva’s males and got here near drawing stage with the Cottagers within the remaining phases of the sport after Jewison Bennette pulled one objective again in stoppage time.

Sunderland now come up towards Sixteenth-placed Studying and will transfer into the play-off spots with a win as they at the moment sit two factors off the highest six within the table.

Will Joe Gelhardt begin towards Studying?

One change Mowbray should make to his facet from the defeat to Fulham is bringing in on-loan Leeds United centre-forward Joe Gelhardt from the beginning.

The 20-year-old, who arrived on the Stadium of Gentle throughout the January switch window, was ineligible to play on Wednesday after taking part in for his mother or father membership in an earlier spherical final month.

Ought to Joe Gelhardt begin?

He’s the one pure striker accessible for Sunderland, after Ross Stewart’s damage and Ellis Simms’ departure, and has the potential to be a match-winner for the Black Cats.

Amad Diallo (seven) is the one midfielder with greater than four strikes within the Championship this season and this implies that Mowbray isn’t blessed with a plethora of standard goalscoring shops.

Gerhardt, nonetheless, may very well be the primary man for objectives for Sunderland if the gem can hit his stride in a purple and white shirt as his kind Leeds at youth stage reveals that there’s a enormous attacking menace to be unearthed.

These statistics present that the 5 foot 9 gem, who was as soon as hailed as “absolutely outrageous” by Leeds reporter Beren Cross, was a constant, dependable, goalscorer for the Whites at U21 stage. 

The younger centre-forward has additionally proven glimpses of his high quality at Premier League stage because the gem has scored two objectives and offered six assists in six begins – taking part in 35 occasions in whole.

Sky Sports activities pundit Jamie Redknapp as soon as lauded the gem as “exciting” and a “human wrecking ball” for his impression in a top-flight match for Leeds and this implies, alongside along with his contributions in assault, that Gelhardt has the power to make an impression on the high stage.

Due to this fact, in idea, the 20-year-old ought to have the ability to thrive at a decrease stage if offered with the probabilities he wants from his teammates to seek out the again of the web, which is why Mowbray should unleash him from the beginning.