Alex Neil shares update on Luke O’Nien’s future role in Sunderland team

Sunderland manager Alex Neil believes that Luke O’Nien can be a key figure for the Black Cats in midfield – and he’s wanting regular goals following his triumphant return against Fleetwood Town in midweek.

Having played the majority of the 2020-21 season as a defender under Lee Johnson, the reliable O’Nien started the current campaign without undergoing an operation on his shoulder, despite dislocating it months prior in December 2020.

O’Nien lasted just 19 matches though before it was decided that he needed to go under the knife to correct his issues, and he’s been on the sidelines for over three months because of it.

The 27-year-old had gone back to covering in Sunderland’s back-line just before his enforced absence, but in his comeback against the Cod Army this week he was thrown onto the pitch off the bench in the middle of the park.

And he was able to make a scoring return to action as he put the Black Cats 2-1 up before Jack Clarke sealed all three points in stoppage time.

Having arrived at the Stadium of Light as a midfielder from Wycombe Wanderers in 2018, O’Nien has often found himself playing in a number of positions all over the pitch – Neil though is very clear on where he sees the player’s future though in his line-up.

“I think we need midfield players who want to get beyond the ball, hit the box, disrupt the back four. Luke provided that for us,” Neil said, per the Sunderland Echo.

“I think he could easily be a running eight or a running ten for us, get in behind, get goals, and I think his energy and legs, his anticipation in the box really set us off the other night.

“At this moment in time, I see Luke as a midfield player.

“But I don’t see him as a deep-lying midfield player, I see him as one who one can