Daniel Ballard gives an update on his injury comeback and reflects on Sunderland journey so far

Ballard made a big impression in his early appearances after making the move to Wearside in the summer, before suffering that significant setback during the 2-2 draw with QPR.

The 23-year-old knows he is now facing significant competition for places

Speaking pitchside to SAFC Live before the 0-0 draw with Blackpool, Ballard said: “It’s going really well. Of course it is really frustrating and it is quite a long injury.

"It takes a long time to heal but everything is going to plan and I’m looking forward to getting back out there.

“It was good that I got them first few games, it showed me what an amazing club it is. Playing in front of 40,000 was something that I’ve never done before so I am happy that I’ve done that and it gives me the motivation to get back as quick as possible.

“We have got an extremely talented squad. It’s really good healthy competition and there are players in there that I can learn from, they can learn from me. We got a good team atmosphere there.

“I might have a few extra games compared to some of them and I’ll try to help them just like the more experienced boys will help me. I feel confident, I’ve got a few games under my belt and I’m just looking forward to getting back to show people what I can do.”

Head coach Tony Mowbray believes Ballard is likely to return after the World Cup break, hopefully alongside Ross Stewart.

"In my mind, if the team is functioning and the defensive units are doing well and we're not in any rush, my mind would probably be to give him that time to train with the team, to work hard and show me that he needs to play," he said.

"He's 6 foot 4, fast, good with the ball, he has a lot of qualities that you need.

"I think he'll be on the grass before the World Cup but it might be during that break that he gets the training time he needs.”