Sunderland conclude their pre-season campaign with a friendly against North East neighbours Hartlepool United on Monday.
While Sunderland will be participating in their eighth fixture of the summer, Hartlepool play their sixth game ahead of starting their League Two season.
Match preview
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Having earned promotion back to the Championship, Sunderland and their supporters should be full of positivity ahead of attempting to make it back-to-back successes.
However, the Black Cats are currently on a run of three defeats in four games, the latest setback coming against Accrington Stanley on Saturday.
Despite leading at half time thanks to a Ross Stewart penalty, Alex Neil's side succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at the home of the League One side.
With that result following a 2-0 loss at Bradford City, Neil is aware that he has an important week of work ahead to get his squad ready for the opening league match with Coventry City.
Although Hartlepool's only two pre-season victories have come against non-league opposition, they have managed to push three higher-level teams harder than they may have expected.
On the back of a 1-1 draw at home to Lincoln City, Hartlepool only lost out by a 1-0 scoreline to Bkackburn Rovers, Jack Vale getting the only goal of the game.
With widespread changes having been made to the first-team squad, Paul Hartley will be satisfied with their development since the start of the summer.
Hartley will already have one eye on the trip to Walsall next weekend as they begin their bid to finish much higher than last season's 17th position.
Nevertheless, at a time when the foundations have seemingly been laid ahead of the new campaign, Hartley will want to deliver a positive result for what should be a big crowd at the Suit Direct Stadium.
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Team News
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With each of the starting lineup on Saturday getting at least 66 minutes, the likelihood is that Neil will make an array of alterations to his Sunderland XI.
Carl Winchester missed out at the weekend through illness, but Neil has suggested that the midfielder should return to the squad.
However, Leon Dajaku was absent due to a thigh issue, and it is unlikely that any risks will be taken on the German's fitness, but Stewart will probably still drop down to the substitutes' bench.
The Hartlepool side should be similar to the one which started against Blackpool on Wednesday.
Mikael Ndjoli will come into contention after signing earlier this week, the forward's most recent spell having come in the United States with Virginia Beach FC.
Hartlepool United possible starting lineup:
Killip; Ogle, Lacey, Menayese, Paterson; Niang, Cooke; Grey, Crawford, Hastie; Umerah
Sunderland possible starting lineup:
Richardson; Hume, Batth, Alese, Cirkin, O'Nien, Embleton, Matete, Roberts, Diamond, Clarke
We say: Hartlepool United 1-2 Sunderland
With Sunderland almost certainly fielding a weakened side for this contest, Hartlepool will feel that they can deliver the perfect boost ahead of the new campaign. Nevertheless, the Black Cats will have players who want to impress, leading us to predict a narrow away win.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
Darren Plant
