Sunderland make the short trip to Hartlepool for their final pre-season friendly on Monday evening.

Here are the details of the game - and how you can watch it.


WHERE IS THE GAME TAKING PLACE?

Monday's game is being staged at Hartlepool's Suit Direct Stadium, which is perhaps better known as Victoria Park.

If you're heading there, the postcode for SatNavs is TS24 8BZ.


WHAT TIME IS KICK-OFF?

Monday's game will kick-off at 7pm.


ARE TICKETS STILL AVAILABLE?

There are no tickets for Sunderland supporters still available - with the away end having sold out during the sale period to season-card holders last week.

Hartlepool United supporters can buy tickets for the home sections of the ground via the club's official website until 11.59pm this evening. However, supporters must already have a pre-existing account in order to be able tp purchase tickets.

Hartlepool have been upgrading the Teesside International Airport Stand during the summer, and have provided the following update:

'The seating is now in position and the North West Corner barriers in place.  We had initially hoped to open the upper tier for our final pre-season friendly against Sunderland on Monday 25th July, however the final sign off will not be completed ahead of this fixture for reasons outside of our control and therefore the UPPER TIER TIA STAND will remain closed for this fixture and will be open for the start of the season.

The terracing within the stand will remain open for home fans, as well as the Simpson Millar & Longbranch Homes stands. Tickets already purchased for the TIA upper tier can be exchanged for the terracing, or any other stand occupied by home supporters.'


IS THE GAME BEING TELEVISED OR STREAMED LIVE?

There is no television coverage of the game, but the friendly will be streamed live via Sunderland's website, with streaming passes available for purchase here.

A match pass for the game is priced at £7.50.

Scott Wilson will be at the game for The Northern Echo, and a live blog will be available on The Northern Echo website.

 

WHAT MIGHT SUNDERLAND'S SIDE BE?

Sunderland were in friendly action on Saturday, losing 2-1 at Accrington Stanley, and Alex Neil is unlikely to field many of the players that were involved at the Wham Stadium in Monday's game.

That should mean the Black Cats' line-up at the Suit Direct Stadium closely resembles the team that was selected for last Tuesday's friendly defeat at Bradford.

Speaking after Saturday's defeat, Neil said: "Because of the lack of relevance to Coventry, I haven’t focused around how we are going to play and what the team looks like. Today if you look at it, I took Jack Clarke off and Lynden Gooch off because they played 90 minutes at Bradford. That was the plan before the game and that remained the plan irrespective of what happened in the game.

"On Monday, a lot of the other lads will get 90 minutes under their belt so when we get to the start of the season, they are all equally prepared so nobody can say ‘ I haven’t had enough minutes or a chance’. Everybody is pretty much across the board in a similar circumstance.”

Carl Winchester is expected to be available for the Hartlepool game after missing the defeat to Accrington with illness. Leon Dajaku is suffering with a thigh problem and will be assessed before Monday's match.


HOW ARE HARTLEPOOL SHAPING UP?

Hartlepool boss Paul Hartley is expected to name his strongest possible line-up as he completes his preparations for Saturday's League Two opener at Walsall.

Hartley could hand a first Pools start to Mikael Ndjoli, with the forward having signed a two-year deal on Friday after recent spells with Aldershot Town in the National League and Virginia Beach FC in the National Premier Soccer League.

Pools were in friendly action last Wednesday, going down 1-0 to Championship side Blackburn Rovers. They acquitted themselves well against their second-tier opponents, with Jake Hastie and Alex Lacey both hitting the woodwork.