Shrewsbury v Sunderland preview: Omar Beckles is determined to pass Black Cats test

The powerful stopper, a centre-half by trade, admits he is still learning the ins and outs of playing at left-back – a position he has held for 12 months now since last season’s injury to Junior Brown.

And Beckles believes League One tests come no tougher than the visit of Sunderland, a Premier League club just two seasons ago.

The former Accrington man, 26, makes no secret of the fact he would rather be playing in the heart of John Askey’s defence.

But he takes confidence from using the ‘predicament’ to his advantage and becoming a more rounded player.

“I guess we’re still getting to grips with it,” said Beckles, when asked about Sunderland playing in League One.

“In the game we’ll still be pinching ourselves a bit, thinking ‘we’re playing against Sunderland!’ It almost feels like a cup game, maybe.”

Joint League One top scorer Josh Maja is just one of the attacking livewires Beckles will have his eye on tomorrow. The defender is his own harshest critic but is keen to test himself further against the best the division can offer.

He said: “Don’t get me wrong, I’m still playing out of position, doing the best out of the predicament I am in.

“So for my situation I’m not too disappointed. I’m just growing. I’m not going to be too doom and gloom.

“Definitely it’s a good little mark of achievement to set yourself and say ‘I did really well against him’.

“I think it bodes well for your confidence all-round as a professional moving forward. I’ve understood the fact I’m still learning in this process of playing out of position.

“Maybe I’m not as harsh (on myself) as I would be playing centre-back, but I’m still harsh!

“I find the right balance. With the other work I’m doing, with the charity work I do, I get good distractions so I’m not completely consumed with battering myself.”

Beckles said he has spoken with boss Askey regarding playing at centre-half but the Londoner has continued to be selected over new left-back signing Ryan Haynes for the majority of the season.

But he is not about to kick up a fuss over his situation. “The manager knows where I’d like to play. We had that conversation beforehand but right now I’m going to control what I can control,” he added.

“Bringing up past stuff or forcing something can create a bad atmosphere so I try my best to really focus on what I can do at the moment and better the team.”

Beckles has already played more than 60 games for Town in around 14 months and is pleased to be playing regular League One football, no matter the position.

He added: “At the end of the day people look back on your career and say ‘how many games did you play?’

“I don’t want to be that guy that said ‘yes I was professional but I was sitting on the bench all the time’. Not at all.”

The Black Cats remain favourites for promotion but their profile does not scare Beckles.

He added: “Last season people expected us to lose certain games against the bigger teams. It adds fuel to the fire and gets you up for it to prove people wrong.”

The opposition – courtesy of the Sunderland Echo's Richard Mennear

It has been a whirlwind few months on Wearside, from the despair of successive relegations to new owners, a new manager and a new squad – the buzz is back at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland are targeting automatic promotion this season and with the squad they have they should finish in the top two.

They have adapted to life in the third tier reasonably well with just one defeat in 12, but Jack Ross will now want to see his side kick on.

It is a case of so far, so good. But there is certainly room for improvement.

For one, they have only kept one clean sheet this season but Ross is comfortable about that because he gives his players the freedom to express themselves further up the pitch.

Goalscoring hasn’t been a problem and Sunderland should have the goals needed to fire them up. Promotion is expected. Sunderland are the biggest club in the division and, with the wage bill available, there is no excuse for not winning promotion this season.

Clearly, there have been a lot of issues to solve and it cannot be underestimated just what a great job Stewart Donald and his fellow directors have done this summer; rebuilding the squad, making a conscious effort to reconnect with the fanbase, while dealing with a host of legacy issues around transfer payments and the Didier Ndong and Papy Djilobodji situations.

Ross also deserves a huge amount of credit for the work he has done to gel the new-look squad so quickly and getting them playing such an attractive style of attacking football.

Ross favours a 3-5-2 system with a back three of Tom Flanagan, Jack Baldwin and Glenn Loovens (currently injured).

Sunderland are missing Max Power and Bryan Oviedo through suspension and Denver Hume remains injured, so expect the wing-backs to be Lynden Gooch and Reece James.

Josh Maja has scored nine goals in 12 League One games and has been a revelation, helping relieve the blow of losing marquee signing Charlie Wyke to injury.

Ross has been a breath of fresh air on Wearside and has really impressed since joining in the summer.

It was a bold decision by the owners and a bold decision by Ross himself to take on the huge project of turning Sunderland around.

Dangerman

Josh Maja

The 19-year-old’s nine goals have him as League One’s joint-top scorer. He has been a real livewire in the penalty area. Maja, from London and formerly of Fulham’s academy, is good with both feet and clinical in front of goal. Otherwise attacker Chris Maguire and keeper Jon McLaughlin have been excellent.

Key man

Mat Sadler

All of the skipper’s experience will be required to keep out Sunderland and the League One top scorer Josh Maja. Must be on top form.

Memory lane

John McGinlay’s goal was not enough as Town lost 2-1 at Sunderland in April 1989, the last league meeting. Town were relegated from Division Two soon after.

Opposition boss

Jack Ross

"Naturally when they played so well for large parts of last season and went so close to achieving promotion, there will be a bit of a hangover to that.

"They lost Paul to Ipswich and important players too, there is a certain element of rebuilding, it does take time to build a squad, we faced that here for many different reasons.

"They will be frustrated they haven't managed to carry that momentum on but they are a good side and proved that last year.

"It is another difficult game for us, every game is."

Predicted line-ups:

Shrewsbury Town (4-3-3): Coleman; Emmanuel, Waterfall, Sadler (c), Beckles; Grant, Norburn, Docherty, Whalley, Angol, Gilliead.

Subs: Arnold (gk), Bolton, Laurent, Docherty, Okenabirhie, John-Lewis, Amadi-Holloway.

Sunderland (3-5-2): McLaughlan; Baldwin, Flanagan, Matthews; Gooch, McGeady, Cattermole, Maguire, James; Sinclair, Maja.