Le Bris shows his ruthless side as duo face uncertain futures

The starting XI for any team on the first day of the season generally bears little to no resemblance to the one that finishes it nine months down the line.

- by Phil Smith

Indeed it can quite often bear almost no resemblance to the team that starts the first game after the transfer window closes just a few weeks later.

The point being, it's along old season and the fortunes of any one individual player can fluctuate dramatically due to form, injury and transfer activity.

Even so, you can't help but wonder if Patrick Roberts and Dan Neil feel their lack of involvement in Sunderland's narrow defeat to Real Betis at the weekend was a little ominous.