Vito Mannone has expressed his delight after Sunderland kicked-off their pre-season campaign with a win and a clean sheet over Hartlepool United on Wednesday evening.
The stopper featured for 45 minutes as the Lads built a comfortable 3-0 lead after a Jermain Defoe brace and a Wahbi Khazri strike.
It was the Black Cats’ first test ahead of the new 2016-17 Premier League season and speaking to safc.com Mannone admitted it was a worthwhile match-fitness booster.