Match Preview: Dundee Utd v Sunderland – Will the Lads get one over our former boss?

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Saturday 16th July 2022

Dundee United v Sunderland

Friendly

Tannadice Park

Kick-Off: 15:00

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Tickets & Match Coverage

Tickets: Ticket information here.

TV/Stream: Full live match coverage is available here.

Don’t forget to follow the blow-by-blow account of the game on the Roker Report Twitter feed (@RokerReport) and check out the player ratings after the full-time whistle at www.RokerReport.com!

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The build-up...

Pre-season is now in full swing as we head into our third official friendly of the summer, and what will be the beginning of four games in ten days.

Following an opening half against Rangers and what Jose Mourinho would consider a bruising encounter with Roma, we say hello to former manager Jack Ross to take on his Dundee United side at Tannadice Park.

In the one and a half games we’ve seen so far, Alex Neil’s side has looked sharp and provided plenty for fans to feel encouraged about as we approach almost two weeks until getting the season underway.

A large element of the fixtures so far have been to give the players minutes under their belts so only a handful of players took to the field for the majority of both fixtures, so it will be interesting to see how Alex Neil shuffles his deck once more.

Photo by Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Another talking point will be the new acquisition from West Ham United, Aji Alese. The 21-year-old is another central defender added to the ranks, and interest will surround his first minutes in a Sunderland shirt, which may be more likely to come at Bradford City on Tuesday night than today's fixture.

Jack Ross has some act to follow after his appointment as the new Dundee United manager last month. His predecessor, Tam Courts, led the club to their highest finish in nine years and qualified for the Europa League Conference before quitting and taking up the reigns at Budapest Honved in Hungary.

Last season was only the second year United were in the Scottish Premiership following four years in the second tier, and Ross will have a job on his hands to better their performance last term.

Photo by Pete Norton/Getty Images

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Last time we met...

Wednesday 7th June 1967

United Association League

Empire Stadium, Vancouver

Dundee United 1-4 Sunderland

[Hainey 38’ - Martin 15’, Suggett 46’, Mulhall 74’, 84’]

Sunderland: Forster, Irwin, Parke, Todd, Kinnell, Baxter, Suggett, O’Hare, Martin, Herd, Mulhall Substitutes: Heslop, Gauden, Shoulder, Hughes

Dundee United: Davie, Millar, Briggs, Neilson, Smith, Moore, Hainey, Gillespie, Gossing, Graham, Hernon

Attendance: 10,053

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Played for both...

Steven Fletcher

After leaving Scottish football 13 years ago, Steven Fletcher headed back over the border to join Dundee United in the summer after spending a couple of years at Stoke. The Scottish international striker, who’s now 35, was brought to Sunderland 10 years ago by Martin O’Neill, who paid Wolves a whopping £12m for his services. In total, he played 108 times for the lads, starting 83 games, and scored 23 goals. After a loan spell at Marseille, he left the Stadium of Light on a free transfer in 2016, spending four years at Sheffield Wednesday before heading to the Potteries.

Photo by Bill Murray\SNS Group via Getty Images

Euan McLean

Former youth team keeper Euan McLean made the bench on one occasion for Sunderland - away at Burnley on the last day of the 2003-04 season, before leaving on a free transfer. He signed for Dundee United, spending four seasons at Tannadice – making only seven appearances – before having spells with St Johnstone and Forfar.

He retired from football in 2011 aged just 25 to become a police officer.

Photo by Jeff Holmes\SNS Group via Getty Images