Nordi Mukiele caught the eye during Sunderland’s draw with Aston Villa on Sunday.

Alan Shearer has named Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele in his Premier League team of the week for a second week running after his “masterclass” against Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon.

The Frenchman has made a notable impact on Wearside since arriving on a permanent deal during the summer transfer window, and recorded his third consecutive league start in a 1-1 draw at the Stadium of Light.

Sunderland’s task was made more difficult by the dismissal of Reinildo Mandava in the 33rd minute - a setback that prompted head coach to switch to a back three, with Mukiele lining up alongside Omar Alderete and substitute Dan Ballard to great effect over the remainder of the contest.

What did Alan Shearer say about Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele following Aston Villa draw?

And Mukiele’s performance ultimately proved enough to catch the eye of Shearer, who saw fit to include him in his best XI of the weekend. Reflecting on the 27-year-old’s display, the Newcastle United legend said: "Only his third Premier League appearance, and with his side down to 10 men after 33 minutes, Mukiele produced a defensive masterclass against Aston Villa as Sunderland earned another impressive point."

Shearer’s decision to include Mukiele comes off the back of a similar nod for the Black Cats talent last time out. In the aftermath of his impressive showing against Crystal Palace earlier this month, Shearer said: “Stood firm and didn’t give Jean-Philippe Mateta a sniff. Solid as a rock.”

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The rest of Shearer’s weekly XI is made up of Burnley goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, Nottingham Forest defender Neco Williams, Crystal Palace full-back Tyrick Mitchell, Liverpool midfielder Ryan Gravenberch, Leeds United new boy Anton Stach, Manchester United stalwart Bruno Fernandes, Fulham regular Alex Iwobi, Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku, Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison, and Liverpool forward Hugo Ekitike.

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What did Trai Hume say about Sunderland teammate Nordi Mukiele?

When asked about his new teammate after the final whistle on Sunday afternoon, Sunderland full-back Trai Hume said: "He's very strong defensively. He's a big boy, he's very athletic. It suits him whenever teams want to run in behind because he's got the pace to match them.

"Even players like [Jean-Philippe] Mateta at [Crystal] Palace he matched him and he's a big boy. I think having Nordi beside you, you always have that reassurance that he'll have your back no matter if it's in behind or someone skips past you. He'll always be there covering, so yeah, it's been good."

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