While Jason Steele is set to start the season in goal for Sunderland, he needs to improve fast to keep his place for the rest of the campaign.
Sunderland will face Derby County in their Championship opener on Friday with a markedly different line-up to that which was relegated last season.
A number of new faces will be on show, but one recruit is already under pressure at the Stadium of Light.
Jason Steele endured a nightmare Sunderland debut as they lost 5-0 at home to Celtic last weekend, with the goalkeeper’s nervy display just one flashpoint on a disastrous afternoon.
And the goalkeeper’s standing on Wearside was lessened again this week as the club signed former trialist Robbin Ruiter, who impressed in an earlier friendly against Scunthorpe United.
However, manager Simon Grayson has suggested the Derby clash will come too soon for Ruiter, according to the BBC, giving Steele another chance to stake his claim.
Steele suffered relegation with Blackburn Rovers last term and there will now be plenty of pressure on the former Middlesbrough man to prove he can perform at Championship level.
The 26-year-old knows that, unlike against Celtic, the cost of a poor showing on Friday would surely be his place – with Ruiter now ready to step in.
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