Frankie Francis and Danny Collins were joined by Sunderland midfielder Max Power on the latest edition of the SAFC Unfiltered podcast and the Black Cats player spent some time talking about his teammate Elliot Embleton during the show.
Embleton is a Sunderland academy product. The 21-year-old midfielder has been with the Black Cats for the entirety of his career, bar the 2018/19 season, which he spent on loan with Grimsby Town.
The former England U20 international enjoyed a positive spell on loan with the Mariners, scoring four goals and providing four assists for them in all competitions during the 2018/19 campaign. He ended that season as Grimsby Town’s joint-fourth-highest goalscorer and second-highest assist provider, as per Transfermarkt.
Embleton returned to his parent club, Sunderland, for the 2019/20 season, however, he only managed to make five appearances for the Black Cats’ senior squad in all competitions in that campaign, as he struggled with injury throughout the most recent season.
Given his impressive performances in the 2018/19 campaign during his loan spell with Grimsby Town, it may not come as a big surprise that Embleton’s fellow Sunderland midfielder Power waxed lyrical about the 21-year-old during his recent appearance on the SAFC Unfiltered podcast.
Here is what Power had to say about Embleton: “Hopefully, this is Elliot Embleton’s breakthrough season if we can keep him fit.
“He’s technically one of the best players I’ve seen. A good mark of knowing someone’s technically good is he can take corners with both feet.
“I think Elliot’s at that age now where he knows that he needs to stay fit. I know it must be tough for him because I thought last season, he was brilliant in pre-season and then he done his hamstring away at Sheffield United in the [League] Cup.
“He’s someone who sees that pass that other players don’t. He’s a nightmare to play against in training, because he can go either way, shoot off both feet.”
Do you think that Elliot Embleton is good enough to earn a place in Sunderland's starting XI?
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So, despite his recent injury issues, it appears as though Embleton has continued to make a positive impression on his Sunderland teammates in training lately, judging by Power’s comments during this podcast appearance.
Hopefully, for the 21-year-old midfielder and for Sunderland, Embleton can put his injury problems behind him and show what he can do for Sunderland’s first-team at League One level this term.