Eliezer Mayenda not part of Sunderland U21s team against Tottenham as other first-team players feature

Eliezer Mayenda hasn’t been named in the team for Sunderland’s under-21s match against Tottenham at Eppleton CW and could be part of the first-team squad for Saturday’s match against Norwich.

The 18-year-old striker is yet to make a senior appearance for the Black Cats after picking up a hamstring injury following his summer move from French side Sochaux. Mayenda did play for Sunderland’s under-21s side in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Hibernian at the Academy of Light on Monday after building up his fitness in recent weeks.

When asked about the forward ahead of Sunderland’s Championship match against Norwich, Mowbray said: “I think we’ll probably put another striker on the bench, and see if it helps us,

“Ultimately, he is not ready [to start] because he hasn’t really played football for ten weeks. He’s played one 90 minutes at the start of the week, so he isn’t going to be ready [to start] after ten weeks not doing what he’d normally be doing.

“Is it worth putting him on the bench, and maybe giving him a spell at the end of the game? Maybe, because it only takes a second to score a goal. So let’s wait and see.”

Jewison Bennette and Nectarios Triantis have been named in Sunderland’s starting XI for their under-21s match against Tottenham in Premier League 2. (7pm kick-off).

Sunderland U21s XI to play Tottenham U21s: Young, Taylor, Triantis, Fieldson, Pye, Burke, Middlemas, Jones, Spellman, Bennette, Gardiner

Subs: Richardson, Bell, Chiabi, Tuterov, Watson