Local press rate Joe Gelhardt’s display as striker makes Sunderland debut

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The Sunderland Echo have issued their verdict on the debut display of Leeds United loanee Joe Gelhardt as Sunderland drew with Millwall on Saturday.

The Black Cats earned a point at the Den, with Dennis Cirkin cancelling out Jake Cooper’s opener. Gelhardt meanwhile, played the large majority of the game, coming off just before stoppage-time in the second-half.

There would have been a lot of intrigue amongst Leeds fans to see how Gelhardt would fare for Tony Mowbray’s side. It was a shame to see him leave on loan during the January transfer window. But with the amount of depth Leeds now have in attack, it appeared to be the right move.

Gelhardt makes Sunderland debut

And joining Sunderland is obviously a good choice. The Black Cats are a massive club, regardless of which division they play in. So thriving for Mowbray’s men will stand him in good stead for his return to Elland Road.

Ultimately, there was no debut goal for Joffy. However, he has received some praise on a tough afternoon.

The Sunderland Echo has handed the 20-year-old a 5/10 rating. But that was largely down to how quiet he was, rather than the fact he produced a poor display.

“One or two nice moments on the ball but struggled to get into it, mainly because his side had nowhere near as much possession close to the opposition goal as they usually do. Valuable minutes in the tank for the challenge ahead,” they wrote.

Gelhardt could be a major asset for Sunderland while he is out on loan. He has shown glimpses of what he can do in the Premier League – even if this season has not exactly gone to plan for him personally.

And with Ross Stewart sidelined for some time, Gelhardt has a fantastic opportunity.

This spell is certainly not make or break for Gelhardt at Leeds. But the coming months will surely have a huge say on where he is playing his football next season.

If he can fire Sunderland into the play-off places and perhaps back to the top-flight, Jesse Marsch will most definitely sit up and take notice ahead of next year.