Could Phil Parkinson hand a rare League One chance to Ethan Robson and Elliot Embleton when Gillingham arrive at the Stadium of Light?
Elliot Embleton and Ethan Robson have been spotted back in first-team training as two Sunderland youngsters eye a rare League One outing against Gillingham this weekend, as reported by the Sunderland Echo.
A draw with Fleetwood Town and a 1-0 home defeat to title rivals Coventry City might have checked the momentum of Phil Parkinson’s side but the Black Cats are still just four points adrift of the automatic promotion positions.
And Sunderland have now been handed a timely boost with a pair of exciting academy graduates now ready to make their return to action.
Houghton-le-spring-born Robson is yet to feature in red and white this season, having spent the first half of the campaign honing his considerable talents on loan at Grimsby Town. In fact, the 23-year-old hasn’t been seen in Sunderland colours in a league fixture since that shock 3-0 victory over Championship winners Wolves on the final day of 2017/18.
Embleton featured in the same game at the Stadium of Light and, after six months on the sidelines with a hamstring problem, the 20-year-old will be desperate to make up for lost time between now and the end of the season.
He too appears to be back in contention.
There is no shortage of accomplished enforcers at Parkinson’s disposal but, what the likes of Luke O’Nien, George Dobson, Max Power and Grant Leadbitter have in grit, they lack in guile.
Robson and Embleton are midfielders of a different mould, skilful, forward-thinking and boasting a dash of unpredictability. They could be the joker in the pack Parkinson needs in a gruelling promotion battle.
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