Inside the latest remarkable reinvention of Luke O'Nien and why he's given Phil Parkinson pause for thought

Sunderland were short of options and so then first-team coach John Potter tentatively approached O’Nien to see if it was a position he’d ever played in.

He hadn’t, but Potter and the backroom staff got the response they were hoping for.

O’Nien took the challenge on and took the next step in his Sunderland career.

By the end of the following summer, Championship clubs were taking an interest in a full-back who was good in the air, had a great engine, defended well one-v-one and could finish at the back post.

A switch to a 3-4-3 has only suited him further, and his slot on the right of Phil Parkinson’s side is well established.

Yet the 25-year-old is always willing to take on a new challenge.

Which helps to explain why with just over twenty minutes to go in Sunderland’s 5-3 win over Carlisle United, O’Nien found himself marauding down the left flank.

Denver Hume found him and there was almost an assist to cap a quite remarkble performance.

Parkinson had been left short of defensive options and it was the left side that was particularly fragile.

Tom Flanagan has made the role his own since the turn of the year, and Kosovan youngster Arbenit Xhemajli is now firmly established as the alternative.

With both away on international duty, otpions were limited.

Brandon Taylor is more comfortable on the right, and summer U21 signing Oliver Younger has had little football since his arrival.

It fell to O’Nien to step into the unknown.

In truth, though, his excellence did not come as a major surprise to Parkinson.

Though it would of course be on the right side of his defence, the Black Cats boss has thought it could be a role that suits such an energetic and intelligent player.

"We didn’t really have much time to work on the training ground with Luke but we've always had in our mind that we play with our three centre-backs, it's important that they're able to step in and join in with the play,” Parkinson said.

“They have to do that to make the system work.

“The thing with Luke is that he is so good in the air as well. Carlisle are quite a big physical team, particularly when they threw the centre-half up towards the end.

“I'm pleased with his performance tonight and it just shows what a valuable player he is for us.”

Parkinson’s defensive unit is well established and O’Nien is a vital cog in his now preferred role.

In a long and punishing season, though, versatilty and new options are always welcome.

However unlikely a reprise may be, Parkinson now knows it’s something he can consider feasible.

“He was tremendous, he really was,” Parkinson said.

“In that left-sided centre-back slot, not only did he put in a faultless defensive performance, heading and clearing, but some of his ability to drive forward and support Denver was really great.

"It’s certainly given us something to think about because those two looked a real threat tonight.”

O’Nien has often joked that all he needs now is a cameo in goal. There comes a point where you wouldn’t bet against him.

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