PATRICK Roberts will have by no means been alone in reflecting on last season with a feeling of individual disappointment.

It goes without saying that Sunderland underachieved and while the Black Cats obviously weren't helped by the managerial changes and lack of stability, a number of players in red and white struggled to reach the heights of the previous campaign.

Roberts was one of those.

Influential and often brilliant in the 2022/23 season under Tony Mowbray, the former Fulham and Manchester City youngster stuttered through last term unable to hit his best form.

His case wasn't helped by a couple of injury setbacks, with the 27-year-old missing spells in the second half of the season with calf and thigh problems but Roberts ended the campaign without a goal and having registered just two assists in his 32 Championship appearances.

The early signs, however, suggest this season will be different. Roberts was brilliant in Sunday's Sheffield Wednesday hammering, setting the Black Cats on their way with a well worked set-piece delivery teeing up Dennis Cirkin for the opener and tormenting the visitors throughout.

While Jack Clarke on the left will often inevitably be the subject of the focus on the flanks, Roberts has shown during his time on Wearside that when he's on song he's up there with the Championship's best wide players.

And Roberts deserves all the credit for his encouraging start to the season, says Regis Le Bris, who believes the right-sided attacker is now reaping the rewards of some summer "choices".

"He's in very good shape, I think," said Sunderland's head coach.

"The dynamic is always like that - sometimes you play well and sometimes you play bad. And if you have the personality to recognise the problem and then make some choices to perform on the pitch...I think Patrick had this thought during the summer and when he returned to the training ground he was in great shape.

"Now he's playing well, I hope it continues during the whole season."

Sunderland are well stocked on the flanks. Roberts and Clarke are the first choice wide players Romaine Mundle is knocking on the door after a decent pre-season and Abdoullah Ba is now fully fit. That will soon be the case for Ian Poveda, who can play across the forward line.

"I think he can play on both sides and as a No.10 as well," said Le Bris of Poveda, who is close to being deemed ready to feature for the Black Cats.

"His preference is to play, then after to be available for the team.

"He's left footed so on the right side it could be interesting but behind the striker could be very interesting as well. We have many opportunities with him."