Tony Mowbray is preparing for Sunderland's first pre-season games without a number of first-teamers who remain sidelined due to injury. The Black Cats face National League North side South Shields and then National League side Gateshead in a double-header on Saturday, with Mowbray's men due to take on the Mariners at noon before heading to the International Stadium for a 4pm kick-off.
The games offer the first opportunity for Sunderland fans to see their team this summer, although two of the club's four summer signings will be absent. Dutch defender Jenson Seelt, who joined from PSV Eindhoven, is suffering from an ankle issue which is likely to see him miss the majority of pre-season, while Australia U23 defender Nectarios Triantis has been allowed to return Down Under for a couple of weeks' break because his season for club and country continued into June.
Along with those two players, midfielder Corry Evans (knee ligaments), striker Ross Stewart (Achilles), and defender Aji Alese (thigh) will not be fit for the start of the new season. Dennis Cirkin (ankle) is also still out of action, while Elliot Embleton is not yet ready to return from the broken ankle he suffered in December although he could be involved towards the end of Sunderland's pre-season trip to the USA.
