Ex-Newcastle United goalkeeper makes Premier League prediction for ex-Gateshead ace ahead of Sunderland clash

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The latest news ahead of Sunderland’s trip to Gateshead

Gateshead manager Rob Elliot has urged his squad to be ready for a ‘strong test’ against Sunderland on Saturday afternoon (5pm kick-off).

The Black Cats will travel to the International Stadium for the second part of a friendly double header with non-league neighbours after Regis Le Bris gets his reign underway with a short trip to South Shields just hours earlier (12.30pm kick-off). Gateshead’s own preparations for the new National League season began with a 7-1 hammering of Northern Premier League side Hebburn Town in midweek as new signing Will McGowan scored a hat-trick and fellow new additions Owen Oseni, Jamie Bramwell and Fenton John also impressed. Elliot was impressed with his side’s performance against the Hornets but insisted they will have to be prepared to take a different approach when they host Sunderland.

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He told The Echo: “I think it will be better for us because we will have to do a lot of work off the ball because of the way Sunderland keep possession. That’s good for us because we need to be as clean without the ball as we are with it so it will be a strong test. It’s a local team, there’s a good connection and it’s good for our lads to test themselves against Championship players. Sunderland are a strong, technical team so it should be a good game, just as it was last year when we played them at the stadium.”

Sunderland were one of several Championship clubs that were believed to have shown an interest in former Gateshead striker Macaulay Langstaff after he made a successful step into the EFL with Notts County. After scoring 99 goals in 135 league appearances over his last three seasons for the Heed and the Magpies, Stockton-born Langstaff joined the Black Cats’ Championship rivals Millwall earlier this week in a move that has a financial benefit for Gateshead after they agreed a sell-on clause in the deal that took the striker to Meadow Lane two years ago. Elliot praised Longstaff’s progress into the Championship but insisted there is every chance his journey up the football pyramid may not have ended just yet.

“I genuinely think it’s just another step on his journey to the Premier League if I am honest. First and foremost, he’s just a brilliant person and whenever I came in he was the life and soul of the place. He always had something about him and it was always a case of once he clicked he could do anything he wanted. I really hope this is another step on his journey and I think Millwall have done a very good piece of business. Notts County have progressed him well and the start Mike (Williamson) and Ian (Watson) gave him at Gateshead held him in good stead. We are just really proud as a club we are helping players that are going into the higher levels of the game, whether that’s our own players or players we have taken on loan.”

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