SUNDERLAND manager Alex Neil is set to ring the changes in once again for tomorrow night’s friendly against Hartlepool United as he aims to give everyone in his playing squad equal playing time before the start of the league season.

In recent friendly defeat to Bradford City and Accrington Stanley, Neil made wholesale changes to each starting eleven as they look to gain as many vital important minutes before the start of the Championship season. They kick things off in a week’s time when they welcome Coventry City to the Stadium of Light.

Neil was asked whether his starting line-up against Accrington Stanley. was a suggestion of his strongest side heading into the league season. He responded: “There are certainly things there has made me think about but this game has got no relevance on Coventry. In fact, you probably argue it’s the complete opposite. One, they don’t play the same shape and two, the manner in which they play is completely different.

“This is just a game for us to get ready, get the competitiveness and make sure we creating chances and defensively solid.”

There was an air of disappointment with the way his side ended up dealing with the physicality of Accrington heading into the closing stages of the game at the Wham Stadium. After the 2-1 defeat, Neil continued: “My disappointment has come from the fact that we conceded one goal of our own making and the second goal which is doing the basics well. Win a header, win the second ball.

“The goal took me back to Rotherham United at home when we lose three headers on the bounce. The first one, the second one from a throw and the third one from a corner. That’s certainly something we need to eradicate.”

With one more friendly game to go until the season begins, Neil’s plans to give everyone equal playing time remain unaltered as he continues to treat the games as more of a physical test for his players.

Neil added: “Because of the lack of relevance to Coventry, I haven’t focused around how we are going to play and what the team looks like. Today if you look at it, I took Jack Clarke off and Lynden Gooch off because they played 90 minutes at Bradford. That was the plan before the game and that remained the plan irrespective of what happened in the game.

“On Monday, a lot of the other lads will get 90 minutes under their belt so when we get to the start of the season, they are all equally prepared so nobody can say ‘ I haven’t had enough minutes or a chance’. Everybody is pretty much across the board in a similar circumstance.”

Carl Winchester is expected to be available for Monday’s friendly at the Suit Direct Stadium after the defeat to Accrington with illness. Leon Dajaku is suffering with a thigh problem and will be assessed before the game.