After suffering play-off heartache at Wembley last term, Sunderland have made a positive start to their second successive season in League One. 

The Black Cats are currently eighth in the third tier after taking eleven points from their opening six matches, although they have a game in hand on five of the seven teams above them.

Some players will be pleased with their early-season performances, while there will be others who will feel that they have a point to prove to manager Jack Ross going into their next game at Accrington Stanley at the weekend.

Here are 3 Sunderland players who will be determined to make an impact after the international break...

Will Grigg

Will Grigg arrived at the Stadium of Light from Wigan Athletic on transfer deadline day in January, but he struggled to make an impact for Sunderland last season, scoring just five goals in 22 appearances.

The striker will have definitely felt like he had a point to prove coming into new campaign and will probably be slightly disappointed that he only has one goal to show for his early-season performances.

Charlie Wyke and Chris Maguire have both made very encouraging starts to the new campaign, scoring six goals between them, while Grigg's only strike of the season came against Burnley in the Carabao Cup.

He has put in some decent displays, but he is mainly judged on scoring goals and he will be hoping to improve after the international break.

Jon McLaughlin

This one might seem a bit harsh given that Sunderland have only lost one game, but Jon McLaughlin has conceded eight goals in six appearances so far this season and has failed to keep a clean sheet.

He has put in some decent performances, helping the team see out wins against Portsmouth and Rocdhale, and has made some good saves, but he will also be disappointed and frustrated with a couple of the goals he has conceded.

He allowed Luke Garbutt's shot to squirm through his legs at his near post against Ipswich and should have done better with Marcus Maddison's long-range free-kick last time out against Peterborough.

McLaughlin is an experienced goalkeeper and he kept 16 clean sheets for Sunderland last season. He will be determined to start keeping clean sheets and will be hoping to do better after the international break.

Aiden McGeady

Aiden McGeady was arguably the standout player for Sunderland last season, scoring 14 goals. The 33-year-old has produced some decent performances so far this season, but he will be determined to make more of an impact after the international break.

The winger has produced some typically excellent moments at times - his goals against Accrington and Rochdale were both fantastic - but there have also been some games where he has a struggled to make an impact and has looked off the pace.

This is totally understandable given that he missed a large part of pre-season through injury, but given how well he performed last season, you imagine that McGeady will probably feel that he could have done slightly better.

He may feel that he has a point to prove to his manager going into the game against Accrington at the weekend and will be determined to put in a good performance.