'He knows...' - Sunderland boss hails Ian Poveda's attitude after goalscoring injury return against Benfica B

Graeme Murty has praised Ian Poveda’s attitude as the attacker returned from injury for Sunderland’s under-21s on Wednesday night.

Poveda started against Benfica B in the Premier League International Cup at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday evening on the right flank in what was his first competitive football since suffering a hamstring injury against Derby County in October.

The winger returned to Régis Le Bris’ matchday squad over the festive period but continued to feel some discomfort in his hamstring, so again dropped out before returning for Murty’s under-21 side against Benfica. The former Leeds United and Sheffield Wednesday man netted the home side’s opening goal with a smart run and finish before being withdrawn at half-time.

“He has (been unlucky with injuries), and that's part of the game,” Murty told The Echo when asked about Poveda. “That's the disappointment of the game, but you can see the quality when he has the ball. You can see the way he drifts past people. I thought that the left-back had a bit of a hard time against him, as he should do because Ian's a very, very good player.

“He took his goal very well, as did Milan, and that bit of quality there I think really underlies to our players that we can do lots and lots of nice stuff. We can move the ball really, really, really well, but when you get to the critical moments, you have to have that composure and that quality to really put people to the sword.

“I think in the European Cup, the International Cup particularly, that's been really highlighted in the competitions, the players that we've played, the teams that we've played. When the opportunity has come, they've been really clinical, and I think we see it every day with our first-team players, but to see it on a bigger stage, I think, is really invaluable for the young ones.”

Asked about Poveda’s willingness to play for the under-21s, Murty added: “I think he knows he has to put himself in a good situation to kick on from here. I think that's his frustration, that he hasn't managed to have a sustained period of fitness, but that doesn't come by coasting. It doesn't come by taking it easy. It comes by pushing yourself.

“Unfortunately, that brings its own risk. It brings the risk of injury, and I think he's done himself an inordinate amount of good today in terms of his work. Unfortunately for him, we had to take him off, and he didn't want to come off. “And that's sometimes the hardship of dealing with players where you have to actually look at the longer term rather than right now because he's feeling good. You have to actually almost say that's enough. You've done enough and that's sufficient. You can't move on to the next thing.”

“It'll be a first-team decision,” Murty explained when asked about Poveda’s next steps. “We'll look at him. He's done our bit. He'll come into our little bubble for a little bit. He'll pop back out into the first-team one and then we'll see from there.”