Ex-Cat Greenwood hits treble as Under-23s fall to Leeds defeat

Sam Greenwood returned to haunt Sunderland with a stunning hat-trick at the Academy of Light.

Greenwood, who left the club to join Arsenal in the summer of 2018, produced three superb finishes in a comfortable 3-1 win for Leeds United.

T h e 1 8 -yea r - o l d jo i n e d Leeds for a seven-figure fee in thesummerandhasmadeasuperb start to life at Elland Road.

He forged a wonderful partnership with Joe Gelhardt that Sunderland struggled to contain, though the lively Jack Diamond scored a deserved late consolation from the spot.

Sunderlandnamedastrong XI which saw Arbenit Xhemajli and George Dobson play 90 minutes. Diamond and Dan Neil were again selected.

It took just five minutes for an expensively-assembled and mightily impressive Leeds frontline to make their mark.

Gelhardt released Greenwood with a wonderful pass, w h i c h G re e nw o o d d e f t l y chipped over the onrushing Patterson.

To their credit, Sunderland began to tighten up, forcing errors in possession from Leeds as they got to grips with their passing play.

Xhemajli impressed, resilient in defence and showing poise in possession to release the pressure at crucial moments. Forging chances was a tougher task for the home side, though they almost equalised through the head of centreback Sam Wilding.

Leedsbeganthesecondhalf much in the same way they began the first, Greenwood going close when he flashed an effort across goal on his weaker foot.

Gelhardt went even closer moments later, twisting and turning away from Xhemajli. The Kosovan did well to stick with him, deflecting his effort onto the crossbar.

They finally doubled their lead when Gelhardt was fouled on the edge of the area; Greenwood stepping up to curl a brilliant effort over the wall and out of Patterson's reach.

The Black Cats barely had time to gather their thoughts before the game was well and truly over.

Xhemajliplayedaslackpass out from the back straight into the feet of McKinstry.

Greenwoodneededjustone touch to set himself, before thumping an emphatic effort into the roof of the net.

Diamond remained Sunderland’s main threat, and his relentlessdribblingfinallypaid off when substitute Struijk hauled him down in the box with seconds to play.

He stepped up to send the last kick of the game into the bottom right-hand corner.