Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray discusses Trai Hume's progress after first Championship start

The 20-year-old has had little opportunity to impress this season, initially due to Sunderland's switch to a back three and then the form of Lynden Gooch.

Injuries to Gooch and Aji Alese forced a defensive reshuffle and while acknowledging that Hume was one of many who struggled in the face of Burnley's second-half dominance, he noted the promise on show from the Northern Ireland youngster.

Mowbray insisted that youth wasn't necessarily a factor in Sunderland's demise but did concede that his group had much to learn in managing games.

"He impacted the game for us in the first half," Mowbray said.

"Like a lot of young players he needs help and that becomes more difficult in the second half when he's 70 yards away on the other side of the pitch from you in the dugout.

"It's good for me to see him play for us, I'd [only] seen him in training and in a couple of U21 games.

"I thought he was really good for us in the first half, I think the second half you would put him in the same category as the rest of the team really, collectively, as a group, we weren't good enough in that second half."

Sunderland remain hopeful that Lynden Gooch could be involved for the trip to Luton Town this weekend but Hume could yet to get another opportunity to impress his new head coach.