'Show the gaffer' - Sky Sports pundits hail Sunderland star after impactful display vs Sheffield Wednesday
Eliezer Mayenda opened his Sunderland account with a brace against Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday.
Sky Sports pundits Gareth Ainsworth and Curtis Davies have hailed Eliezer Mayenda for his impressive display in Sunderland’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday afternoon.
The young striker scored his first goals for the Black Cats against the Owls, notching an emphatic brace that ended a 387-day wait to open his account on Wearside.
There has been widespread talk about Sunderland’s hunt for an experienced centre forward this summer, but former Wycombe Wanderers manager Ainsworth is of the opinion that the teenager might just have staked a claim for a recurrent role in Regis Le Bris’ first team plans this season.
Speaking during Sky’s coverage of the clash, he said: “He [Mayenda] may have read those rumours this morning and thought, ‘I’ll show the gaffer just what a striker I can be’.
“He took his goals really well. One was a tap-in, obviously, but that first one, when he finds himself in that much space, it still needed to be finished. We saw [Wednesday goalkeeper James] Beadle - he’s an accomplished keeper, he’s a great keeper - but Mayenda, he looks like a real accomplished striker at such a young age. And as Luke O’Nien said, there’s plenty more to learn for him.”
Davies was in full agreement about Mayenda’s impact at the Stadium of Light, but also praised the Spaniard for his work off the ball, as well as his goal-scoring turn - especially following an underwhelming loan spell with Hibernian last term.
The ex-Hull City defender said: “He’s only 19, he’s come there - listen, there must have been a maturity and level to him that he was even sent on loan to Hibernian last year. Fair enough, he didn’t get the games, but they must have seen something and knew that he could play first team.
“He’s come back this season, he’s come and fought for his place, he’s got the two goals today, but it’s not just the goals. The way they want to press, when you’ve got him in the press - with Clarke, with Jobe - it’s fantastic to have those young legs.
“I was saying to Gareth, I would hate to be a centre half in that team, where you’re 4-0 down and you’ve got a young striker on two goals and desperate for a hat-trick. He never let them up in that whole second half until, obviously, he came off the pitch.”