news-engine

The last Sunderland XI to face Ipswich Town at Portman Road - including £14m winger Sunderland will visit Ipswich Town on the opening day of the 2026/27 Premier League season. Sunderland will kick off the 2026/27 Premier League season with a visit to Ipswich Town as the two sides meet at Portman Road for the first time since January 2024. Things were very different for the Black Cats on their last trip to East Anglia as they were struggling in mid-table in the Championship with Michael Beale in the dugout after he was appointed as successor to the popular Tony Mowbray just a month earlier. On that day, Sunderland actually edged themselves in front just after the midway point of the first half when future Tractor Boys winger Jack Clarke beat hosts keeper Vaclav Hladky after he was found by Abdoullah Ba. However, that lead lasted just seven minutes as Kayden Jackson grabbed an equaliser for Ipswich with a neat finish beyond Anthony Patterson before a home side managed by Kieran McKenna snatched all three points when Conor Chaplin powered an effort home after getting on the end of a Leif Davis free-kick. So much has changed at Sunderland since that defeat at Portman Road and they head into their visit to Ipswich later this month looking to make a positive start to a season that will see them compete in the Europa League for the first time in their long and proud history. So what became of the Sunderland squad that last faced Ipswich in a league game and how many players in the matchday ranks on that day could feature in European competition this season? We take a look at the clock ticks down towards the first day of one of the most exciting seasons in the Black Cats history. Sunderland’s last starting XI against Ipswich Town .jpeg?crop=3:2,smart&trim=&width=640&quality=65>) Anthony Patterson: The Academy of Light product went on to help the Black Cats secure promotion into the Premier League with a fine performance in their Championship play-off final win against Sheffield United. However, Patterson lost his place to summer signing Robin Roefs and spent the second half of last season on loan at Millwall. He made a permanent departure from Sunderland earlier this week when he joined Championship club Wrexham in a reported £8m deal. Trai Hume: The Northern Ireland international remains part of the Black Cats squad and was a regular feature in the side that secured Europa League football last season. Luke O’Nien: O’Nien is also still a Black Cat and has now made over 325 appearances during his time on Wearside. The popular defender won a number of plaudits for stepping up to the Premier League last season after initially joining Sunderland during their time in League One. Dan Ballard: Ballard is a key part of Regis Le Bris’ side and has also established himself at the heart of Northern Ireland’s defence after impressing in the Championship and Premier League during his time at the Stadium of Light. Aji Alese: The former West Ham United youngster made just a solitary league appearance last season and that came in the colours of Portsmouth after he joined the Championship club on loan in January. An injury brought an early end to his time at Fratton Park and it remains to be seen what lies ahead for the defender this season. Abdoullah Ba: The former France Under-20 international spent time on loan at French club USL Dunkerque during the second half of the 2024/25 season and made two National League Cup appearances for the Black Cats Under-21s last season. He looked set to join League One club Peterborough United earlier this week - but that move broke down on Thursday. Pierre Ekwah: The midfielder returned to France after completing a loan move to Saint-Etienne in August 2024 before making a permanent switch to the League One club 12 months later. Ekwah returned to England to spend the final months of last season with Championship club Watford - but he is now back with his parent club as they compete in Ligue 2 during the new campaign. Dan Neil: The former Black Cats captain joined Ipswich on loan in January and saw out the season at Portman Road. That move also saw the midfielder see out the final months of his Sunderland contract away from the Stadium of Light. Neil has since joined Scottish giants Rangers on a free transfer after agreeing a three-year deal at Ibrox. Jack Clarke: The former Tottenham Hotspur winger actually joined Ipswich seven months after this game as he made a reported £14m move to Portman Road. He has since scored 19 goals and provided eight assists in 85 appearances for the Tractor Boys. Alex Pritchard: The attacking midfielder left Sunderland to join Birmingham City in February 2024 before moving on to Turkish club Sivasspor just five months later. Pritchard departed in December 2025 and remains without a club. Jobe Bellingham: The England Under-21 international left Sunderland to join Bundesliga giants Borussia Dortmund in a deal that could net the Black Cats around £30m. Bellingham remains with Dortmund and has scored one goal and provided five assists in 49 appearances during his first season in Germany. Subs: Adil Aouchiche (current club - Schalke 04), Nazariy Rusyn (current club - Karpaty Lviv) , Mason Burstow (current club - Sheffield Wednesday, on loan from Hull City), Nectarios Triantis (current club - Minnesota United), Jewison Bennette (current club - LNZ Cherkasy), Jay Matete (current club - MK Dons), Jenson Seelt (current club - Sunderland), Nathan Bishop (current club - AFC Wimbledon), Luis Semedo (current club - Sunderland) Your next Sunderland read: Former Sunderland academy forward joins Gateshead on one-year deal