Sunderland have now been gifted a double boost before they play Doncaster Rovers at home in League One this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Busy deadline day

The Stadium of Light faithful signed both Jermain Defoe and Jay Matete on Transfer Deadline Day in the hope that they will help them push for automatic promotion up to the Championship.

Their last outing was quite frankly an abysmal one, getting thumped 6-0 away from home by Bolton Wanderers, which ultimately resulted in Lee Johnson losing his job.

Mike Dodds will now take charge of the game against Doncaster, as the board continue their search for a permanent replacement.

The Latest: Defoe and Matete in squad

Speaking in his pre-game press conference ahead of the match, Dodds has now revealed that both Defoe and Matete will be in the squad for the clash:

“Both will be in the squad this weekend.

“Jay oozes quality and class and he will give us a different dimension in midfield, so he is a fantastic addition for the football club.

“It’s a big move for Jay and I have felt a little sorry for him because his arrival has been somewhat overshadowed by Jermain’s return, but I think he’s a very clever signing.

“We don’t really need to talk about Jermain’s quality, but the thing that has struck me, which shouldn’t surprise you but often does, is his human qualities.

“He’s come into the club with Under-23 staff overseeing the first team and treated everyone with the upmost respect - he has a real charisma in the way he holds and conducts himself.

“We know he will have big moments for the football club on the pitch throughout the remainder of the season.”

The Verdict: Double boost

To have both signings available straight away is certainly a double boost for Dodds and his team.

The qualities that Defoe possesses speaks for itself, having scored 37 goals in 93 matches over all competitions across three campaigns for the Black Cats in his previous spell (Transfermarkt), including a memorable winner at home to North East rivals Newcastle United in the Premier League in 2015.

Dodds also spoke very highly of Matete, who comes from fellow League One side Fleetwood Town, having made no fewer than 25 appearances for them in all competitions this term, scoring twice (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, both will no doubt strengthen the squad, and will be itching to make an instant impact this afternoon.

In other news, find out when SAFC fans can expect a manager announcement here!