Sunderland had started their first game of League One with Glenn Loovens and Alim Ozturk in the heart of defence.
Sunderland started their season with Glenn Loovens and Alim Ozturk in the heart of defence, with both men making their League One debuts.
However, the game showed that Loovens was clearly more defensively sound than his Turkish partner and Sunderland manager Jack Ross decided to change things up against Luton Town.
42-year-old Ross brought summer signing Jack Baldwin into the fray away to Nathan Jones’ side and immediately Sunderland’s defensive frailties looked to have vanished.
Both men made a case for man of the match on Saturday, despite Sunderland conceding a late goal out of nothing from a set-piece; something they have been guilty of for a number of seasons.
Baldwin seemed confident on the ball and rarely looked like the occasion of making his competitive debut for Sunderland phased him, something that Ozturk was slightly guilty of in the third tier opener.
Loovens also looked like a true leader in Sunderland’s back four, making some key challenges that could have given his side all three points had they not conceded late in the game.
On their form against Luton, there is little doubt that the former St Mirren boss must continue to play both men as his first-choice central defensive pairing.
The difficulty for Ross will be keeping 34-year-old Loovens and the injury-prone Baldwin fit but, if he can do that, the Black Cats could have one of the best defensive pairings in League One.
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