Simon Moore

Moore built his career the hard way, working through non-league football before earning a route into the professional game and establishing himself as first choice at more than one club. His handling and shot-stopping are dependable rather than spectacular, the traits that keep a goalkeeper employed across two decades of English football without ever becoming a headline name. He has captained sides and carried a dressing room through difficult runs, which counts for plenty in a role built on trust.

At Sunderland his job now is largely to support rather than start, pushing the younger goalkeepers ahead of him while staying ready if his number is called. That is a harder balance than it sounds, since staying sharp without regular games tests any professional's patience. Watch how he handles that role, because senior players like him often define a dressing room's standards more than the team sheet suggests.