Ross Stewart ranks alongside the best strikers Alex Neil has worked with in his managerial career, according to the Sunderland boss. Scot Stewart made a huge impact last season in his first full campaign in English football, scoring 26 goals to power the Black Cats to a play-off place and ultimately promotion from League One.
And the 26-year-old signing from Ross County has taken the step up to the Championship in his stride, scoring three goals in his first five outings to help Sunderland get off to a positive start in the second tier. Neil recently described Stewart as an 'all-round number nine', pointing out the improvement in his game.
But after watching Stewart score again in Saturday's win at Stoke City, Neil said that the frontman could stand comparison with any striker that he has worked with in almost a decade in management - a list that includes the likes of the much-travelled Cameron Jerome, Leeds United's Patrick Bamford, former Sunderland men Lewis Grabban and Kyle Lafferty, West Brom's Callum Robinson and Preston's Jordan Hugill. "I've had some really, really, good strikers over the years in the teams I have had, and Ross is right up there with any of them," said Neil.
