Sunderland fielded five new signings in their opening game of the League One season against Charlton Athletic.
Sunderland new boy Chris Maguire arrived on Wearside with arguably the most expectation heaped upon his shoulders, after successful stints both sides of the border in Scotland and England.
The 29-year-old joined the Black Cats from Bury earlier this summer and had impressed in several of Sunderland’s pre-season games.
But it was his man of the match performance in Sunderland’s 2-1 win against Charlton Athletic that should make him the first name on Jack Ross’s team sheet for the rest of the season.
Sunderland’s win against one of their League One competitors ended the Black Cats’ seven-year wait for an opening day victory and Maguire was pivotal throughout.
The Scotsman got off to a poor start, conceding a penalty in only the tenth minute, but made up for his mistake with some eye-catching passing and a willingness to run at the Charlton defence.
Maguire came extremely close to scoring on his league debut, when his free kick was palmed away from goal by stopper Dillon Phillips.
Maguire started the game out wide in a system which required three forwards, but he really came to life when playing through the middle in the second half; something for 42-year-old Ross to contemplate ahead of their game against Luton Town.
Ross certainly has a number of things to consider ahead of his side’s next m, with plenty of players coming back from injury and competition for places high.
But Maguire’s impressive debut performance for Sunderland makes it hard for the former St Mirren manager to leave him out.
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