Dylan McGeouch and Tom Flanagan reportedly set to miss Sunderland’s League One opener

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Sunderland begin life in League One this weekend for the first time in 30 years when they play at home to Charlton Athletic.

Sunderland begin life in League One on Saturday for the first time in 30 years when they play at home to Charlton Athletic, a team they haven’t played since 2005.

The Black Cats will be hoping their new signings can hit the ground running, with several players having arrived at the club, including Jerome Sinclair, Chris Maguire and most recently Luke O’Nien.

However, according to the Sunderland Echo, Jack Ross will be without new signings Tom Flanagan and Dylan McGeouch, with the pair both sidelined by injury.

Flanagan joined from League One competitors Burton Albion earlier this summer and the 26-year-old certainly looks an impressive signing from his pre-season performances.

The Northern Irishman caught the eye of the Sunderland faithful with some excellent performances in the Black Cats’ mostly successful pre-season and also arrived with the upmost praise from his former club.

However, Ross has brought in a number of reinforcements in defence and Flanagan’s absence may not be as much of a crisis as it would have been prior to Sunderland bringing in experienced heads including Glenn Loovens and Jack Baldwin.

The Sunderland faithful may not be as calm about new boy McGeouch’s injury as they are about Flanagan’s, with the midfielder being one of the standout players of Sunderland’s pre-season campaign.

The former Hibernian star also missed Sunderland’s final pre-season against Middlesbrough through injury and the Wearsider’s Scottish boss will be hoping it won’t be long before he returns.

However, despite McGeouch missing his side’s first game at the weekend, Ross certainly isn’t short of options in his position and the Sunderland faithful will still fully expect nothing less than three points.