Sunderland take on Plymouth Argyle in the Championship this weekend.
Sunderland return to Championship action this weekend following a break for international fixtures, and Regis Le Bris’ side also return to the south coast.
Last time out, Sunderland beat Portsmouth 3-1 away from home, extending their perfect start to the 2024/25 season to four games.
The Black Cats sit in 1st place of the Championship table having taken 12 points from 12 so far, in what’s been quite an unprecedented start to life in England for Le Bris.
His counterpart this weekend is former England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.
He’s taken another crack at management, this time with Plymouth Argyle, though his side have taken just two points from 12 this season, and currently sit in 22nd place of the table.
It should be an exiting game on Saturday, with Sunderland set to welcome back several players from international duty.
Here we look at the three best players to have played for both Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle…
Bali Mumba
Former Sunderland academy man Bali Mumba made 10 total appearances for the Black Cats before leaving for Norwich City 2020.
Though it’s with Plymouth where he’s made his name; the 22-year-old helped Plymouth win League One promotion in 2023, winning the League One Young Player of the Year award in the process.
He made 43 Championship appearances last season, scoring three and assisting three, and will no doubt feature this weekend.
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Tom Flanagan
Defender Tom Flanagan, now playing for Colchester United in League Two, has also played for both Sunderland and Plymouth Argyle.
Now 32, Flanagan made four appearances on loan at Plymouth from MK Dons in 2015, then going on to make 115 for Sunderland, which is the most games he’s played for any club.
Flanagan joined Colchester this summer after leaving Shrewsbury Town following a two-year spell.
Jay Matete
Jay Matete is still on the books at the Stadium of Light, though many might have forgotten about the midfielder who played alongside Mumba at Plymouth during that 2022/23 promotion-winning campaign.
The midfielder featured 19 times in League One after joining midway through the season, and is currently on loan at Bolton Wanderers looking to repeat the same feat.
He’s so far played in all four of Bolton’s League One games, though the Trotters are slumped in 19th right now.