Fight, character and determination will be key when Sunderland under-18s travel to Everton on Saturday, according to Elliott Dickman.
The youth team head to Finch Farm still chasing their first points of the U18 Premier League season, following six defeats from as many games.
With high hopes the young Black Cats can turn their campaign around, Dickman has told safc.com the club’s core values will be key to putting behind them their early season woes.
“It’s going to be tough because Everton are renowned for having a good academy squad and having good academy players,” he said. “They have got a very good reputation but it’s an opportunity to put our wrongs right.
“The players are fully aware of what is expected and it’s now a case of putting the bits we have done well in spells into 90 minutes. For me, that is our great challenge.”
He continued: “It’s tough but the players are aware of that, we need to stick together and we have to keep working hard and continue to show as much character and belief as we can to try to get a point or a victory.
“We do have a soft underbelly where we need to be a bit more determined and a bit more streetwise in games.”
