---
title: "Sunderland: James Hunter drops interesting Patrick Roberts claim"
canonical: "https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/reading-team-news-roberts-championship/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Adam Clancy"
section: "Championship News"
published: "2022-09-14T12:35:43Z"
modified: "2022-09-14T12:35:43Z"
---

# Sunderland: James Hunter drops interesting Patrick Roberts claim

**Chronicle Live journalist James Hunter has dropped some interesting [Sunderland](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-afc-news/) team news involving Patrick Roberts.**

### The Lowdown: Stewart injury

It was [confirmed](https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/sunderland-afc-news/stewart-injury-news-cirkin-championship/) last week that Ross Stewart is facing up to eight weeks out on the sidelines after sustaining an injury to his thigh.

It leaves the Stadium of Light outfit with just [one](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/afc-sunderland/startseite/verein/289) recognised senior centre-forward in their squad in Everton loanee Ellis Simms, and so they may have to be more creative in terms of who they play up front until Stewart comes back.

### The Latest: Roberts bigger role?

Speaking ahead of their game away at Reading in the Championship tonight (via [The Chronicle](https://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/tony-mowbray-magic-patrick-roberts-25010319?t=)), Mowbray has described Roberts’ talent as ‘scary’, and shared that he had asked him why he was not playing in the team upon his arrival, calling it ‘comical’.

Taking to Twitter after the comments, [Hunter](https://twitter.com/JHunterChron/status/1569913837486329856) claimed that it ‘sounds like’ Mowbray is preparing to give Roberts a bigger role in the side in Stewart’s absence.

\[freshpress-quiz id=”398290″\]

### The Verdict: Interesting

Mowbray’s comments on Roberts were certainly interesting, as he clearly rates him very highly despite the fact that he has been [in and out](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/patrick-roberts/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225452/plus/0?saison=2022&verein=&liga=&wettbewerb=&pos=&trainer_id=) of the team this season.

\[freshpress-poll id=”384174″\]

In Stewart’s absence, it is suggested that he could fill in for him up top, despite him primarily being a [winger](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/patrick-roberts/profil/spieler/225452).

Roberts has actually played as a [centre-forward](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/patrick-roberts/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225452) in his career as well, providing [five direct goal contributions](https://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/patrick-roberts/leistungsdatendetails/spieler/225452) in ten showings as a number nine, and so it will be interesting to see if Mowbray plays him in that position tonight.