Highly-rated 16-year-old Sunderland youngster set for first-team chance - reports

Alan Nixon has stated that the youngster is “pencilled in” for game time with Mowbray’s senior squad after Chris Rigg’s appearances in the FA Cup earlier this season.

Watson made the bench for all three of Sunderlan’s FA Cup ties this season, including the win against Shrewsbury Town before the draw against Fulham and the eventual loss during the replay.

The England U17 tends to play as a winger but has impressed when playing up a level with the U18s and has also played in Premier League 2 with Sunderland’s U21 team,

Watson has managed four goals and three assists in 11 appearances with the U18s so far this season whilst scoring once and assisted three times in six appearances with the club U21s.

Jewison Bennette handed international call-up

Sunderland attacker Jewison Bennette has been called up for international duty by Costa Rica.

The youngster played in the winter World Cup out in Qatar last year but has only featured sporadically for Sunderland this season.

The tricky winger came off the bench towards the end of Sunderland’s 1-1 draw in the Championship against Luton Town on Saturday afternoon before making the Costa Rica squad hours later.

Bennette and his teammates face two CONCACAF Nations League games against Martinique and Panama Saturday, March 25 and Wednesday, March 29 respectively before returning to Wearside for Sundrland’s clash against Burnley on Friday, March 31 at Turf Moor.