League One Sunderland endured a disappointing start to the campaign while Lawrence Shankland shone for Dundee United.
Sunderland fans must have had a strange feeling of déjà vu during Saturday’s League One opener against Oxford United at the Stadium of Light. But they’ve certainly been here before.
In total, the Black Cats drew 19 games in the third tier last season with their inability to finish off games and turn one point into three costing them a place in the top two and automatic promotion.
So a frustrating stalemate at home to Oxford is hardly the way Sunderland fans wanted the new campaign to begin.
Once again, Will Grigg struggled to make an impression, starved of service in attack, while Marc McNulty failed to mark his debut with a goal despite a lively display.
And, to make matters worse, one-that-got-away Lawrence Shankland showed in the most clinical manner possible what Sunderland are missing.
According to the Northern Echo, Jack Ross’s side offered Shankland a contract once his deal at Ayr United expired recently. But instead of reuniting with Ross, who he worked with at St Mirren, the former Scotland U21 international decided that a move to Dundee United was the best for his development.
It’s fair to say Shankland has taken to life at Tannadice like a duck to water. He scored all four goals as Dundee United battered Inverness 4-1 on Saturday. Three of those were headers, the most unique of goalscoring achievements, and the other a brilliant turn and finish.
Shankland is a natural-born goalscorer. And you have to wonder whether he was the missing piece of the Sunderland jigsaw.
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