It looks like Sunderland will have to pay a price for their line-up against Manchester United U21s tonight.
Football league teams are required to name four ‘qualifying outfielders’ for EFL Trophy matches, something which Sunderland have ignored with their youth team selection.
The fine Sunderland face costs £5,000, according to the Manchester Evening News.
Sunderland head coach Lee Johnson said they were prepared to ‘take a hit’ and accept a fine for breaking the rules in their Papa John’s Trophy game with United, as per the Chronicle Live.
Johnson claims United demanded that the game be played on that date, and the EFL has granted us that wish. That causes problems for The Black Cats because they have six players away on international duty – Corry Evans, Tom Flanagan, and Carl Winchester with Northern Ireland, Dennis Cirkin with England U20s, Callum Doyle with England U19, and Niall Huggins with Wales U21.
The match kicked off at 7pm and we will have updates throughout the night.
Manchester United U21s XI vs Sunderland: Mee, Hardley, McShane, Fernandez, Savage, Wellens, Iqbal, Mather, Hoogewerf, Hugill, McNeill.
Subs: Vitek, Bennett, Jurado, Forson, Ennis, Norkett, Murray.
