JACK DIAMOND will once again line up as a centre-forward as Sunderland complete their pre-season programme at Hartlepool United this evening.

With Alex Neil having been unable to bring in any new forwards this summer, Diamond will be pressed into action as an emergency centre-forward just five days before the Black Cats kick off the new Championship season against Coventry City.

The midfielder started up front in last week's defeat at Bradford City, and will reprise the role this evening.

Neil has opted to change all 11 of his players from the side that kicked off Saturday's defeat to Accrington Stanley.

Jacob Carney will start in goal, with Anthony Patterson being rested, while Danny Batth will partner Aji Alese at centre-half.

Carl Winchester missed Saturday's game at Accrinton because of illness, but the Northern Irishman returns to the side tonight and is set to play alongside Jay Matete and Luke O'Nien in midfield.

Elliot Embleton and Harrison Sohna will play on either side of Diamond as Sunderland look to round off their pre-season campaign with a victory.

Hartlepool have handed a first start to Jack Hamilton up front with latest signing Mikael Njdoli taking a place on the bench.


SUNDERLAND (4-3-3): Carney; Hume, Batth, Alese, Taylor; Winchester, Matete, O'Nien; Embleton, Diamond, Sohna.

Subs: Patterson (gk), Wright, Ballard, Stewart, Cirkin, Evans, Roberts, Neil, Pritchard, Clarke, Gooch, Spellman.

Hartlepool (4-5-1): Killip; Tumilty, Lacey, Murray, Ferguson; Hastie, Featherstone, Cooke, Crawford, Grey; Hamilton

Subs: Letheren, Menayese, Paterson, Niang, Shelton, Ndjoli, Umerah