Graeme Murty's verdict as Sunderland U21s draw with Norwich - and why Chris Rigg didn't feature

The young Black Cats were beaten 7-5 by Boro on Monday, making it 11 goals conceded in two matches, but reacted well to claim a creditable goalless draw with Norwich, who are third in Premier League 2, Division 2, at the Academy of Light.

“I think the lads needed it to re-establish some defensive principles and to understand that if you make mistakes the best feedback they can get is that you get punished for it,” Murty told the Echo after the Norwich match.

“It doesn’t look nice and as much as we don’t want to put them in a situation that they can’t handle, sometimes you need to go through a tough time to establish that’s why.

"Going into the debrief the lads have been great this week and their ownership and accountability was really, really good.

“I thought against Middlesbrough we were far too reactive and far too loose in our shape, and consequently we had no strength to fall back on.

“I thought our shape was better and it culminates in a clean sheet, albeit I still think we can be better and progressive when there are times to press.”

After playing an hour against Middlesbrough, 15-year-old Chris Rigg wasn’t in the squad to face Norwich as the club continue to manage the teenager’s development.

“We have to be really careful because Chris is a very young man and we have to make sure we give him an appropriate load,” Murty added.

“We made the decision at the start that he would play the game against Middlesbrough at Eppleton, which was a big challenge for him on a very heavy pitch against people that are five or six years older than him.

“He got good minutes in there and we didn’t think it was appropriate two or three days later for him to go and play again in another game where they are going to be that much older than him.

“We need to make sure that while we are trying to give him the right things for his development that we are conscious of his age and give him stuff that stretches him but also keeps him safe.”