ROKER ROUNDUP: Talented Sunderland youngster Embleton impresses and scores AGAIN for England

Embleton scores

England under-20 played Switzerland yesterday in an UEFA Elite League match up and Sunderland youngster Elliot Embleton started and scored in a 2-0 win.

The highly-rated midfielder is on loan at League Two side Grimsby Town until January to gain first team experienced but is unavailable for the The Mariners this week due to his international call-up.

Embleton is next in action for the under-20s against the Netherlands on Monday and after yesteday’s win he took to Twitter to celebrate.

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Mumba features

Bali Mumba was also in action for England but this time for the under-18s as they played the Netherlands in the four team Limoges tournament in France.

Mumba came on as a second-half substitute for goalscorer Tino Anjorin as England won 3-0 thanks to goals from Mason Greenwood, Anjorin and Arvin Appiah.

England will play again later today as they face Russia, where Mumba will be hoping to make his first start at that level.

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McGeouch hopes for international call

Dylan McGeouch made his first competitive start for Sunderland on Tuesday in the 0-0 draw with Stoke City under-21s in the Checkatrade Trophy.

He was in with a chance with missing that game due to international recognition from Scotland but after missing out on a place in the squad, McGeouch says he’s hoping that playing well for Scotland will see him return to the international fold:

I’m disappointed [to not make the Scotland squad].

Everyone wants to be picked [especially] considering I’ve had a wee taste of it and want to keep going.

I obviously accept the decision and I can understand it a wee bit having a little niggle and not being playing week in, week out.

I think, for me, it’s just about concentrating on Sunderland and getting back to playing. Pre-season was good [but then] I picked up the wee niggle and hopefully I can put that behind me and get games week in, week out.

McGeouch was then asked whether he can perform well enough so that Scotland manager Alex McLeish will come and see him play at the Stadium of Light:

I’d like to think so.

Obviously he’s done it with Charlie Mulgrew last year playing in League One [at Blackburn Rovers] and doing well. I don’t think it makes you any less of a player. We think we’re a big club and look to try and get promoted this year.

But the way we’re playing, hopefully I can get myself back in the team, playing week in, week out and hopefully catch his eye like I did last year and you never know.

It’s a massive club, you see the stadium and it’s a great place to come and play. I’m just concentrating on playing well for Sunderland, week in, week out, and if that opportunity comes up again, I’d love it.

The midfielder is happy at how Sunderland have started the campaign, as the performances so far have needed plenty of character to get us over the line:

We’ve adapted well. A lot of teams are playing more direct against us and being more physical, which we have to deal with, and the two games in London I thought we dealt with really well, coming back from a goal down to get the wins. It showed a lot of character in the team. Hopefully we can keep winning games.

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