Sunderland coach hails incredible comeback as young forward scores three in two after double ACL trauma
The 19-year-old striker hit three goals in two games – just months after returning from a gruelling double ACL lay-off
Jake Waters’ Sunderland comeback story took another major step forward as the 19-year-old striker scored twice in just 45 minutes during the U21s’ thumping 7–1 win over Athletic Bilbao in the Premier League International Cup.
It continued an extraordinary return to form for a player who has spent the best part of 418 days on the sidelines, having suffered ACL injuries in both legs and endured more than a year of rehabilitation. After coming off the bench to score against Ipswich Town in Premier League 2 last week, Waters now has three goals from his last two outings, despite only playing a combined handful of minutes.
His manager, Graeme Murty, joked afterwards that Waters has been keeping a very close eye on his numbers. “It’s not two games – he keeps on telling me his goal-per-minute rate, so he’s really pleased!” Murty said. “We know we have to be careful, we know we have to be professional and look at his minutes and his loading.”
Waters was scheduled for only 45 minutes on the pitch, a restriction set by Sunderland’s medical and sports science departments as they carefully manage his return to competitive football. But even leaving the pitch with two goals wasn’t enough to brighten his mood. “He was only down for 45 minutes – you’ve never seen a kid more depressed coming off after scoring two goals, so it’s a good sign,” Murty added.
Murty was keen to highlight the work of the club’s support staff, who have helped guide Waters back to a stage where he is now contributing decisively again, and of fellow attacker Ethan Moore after his own long-term injury return.
“I have to credit our sports science and medical department for taking really good care of him over the years, and Ethan, who replaced him tonight,” he said. “We have to gradually introduce him. His only job is to go max and get what he can out of the game, and he grasped that opportunity particularly well today. He’s a bit disappointed he didn’t get a hat-trick.”
Waters’ attitude has impressed those around the academy throughout his long recovery. Sunderland have always rated the youngster highly, and his blend of determination, speed and composure in front of goal was on full display again as he took both chances with confidence.
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Speaking to the club’s in-house media about his comeback, Waters said: “The last two years have been tough, but it was a really great moment to finally be back out on the pitch. It’s been a very long time since I’ve had a proper run out, and I was just buzzing to get back out, be with my teammates and get to play some football. We’ve got a lot of games coming up, and I just want to keep getting back out there, keep adding more minutes in the tank and just play the game that I love.”
Addressing the pain of that injury, the forward continued: “The Liverpool game last season was heartbreaking. To come back from one long-term injury and sustain another, almost immediately after returning, is one of the toughest things I think I’ll go through.
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“That said, I’ve massively built up my resilience and mental strength, no matter how tough it has been. When things are hard, you just need to keep going, and everyone at the club was there for me at any point. Little things, like that, help a lot, and for me, it really helped to keep my spirits up and keep going. To get back out there on Saturday was amazing.”
Waters added: “The medical team have been unreal with me for the last two years. Obviously, I owe a lot to them for what they’ve done for me. They’ve guided me through the last two years – helping me adapt throughout, knowing what I need to do and slowly building my fitness back up. They’ve massively helped me get to the stage I am now, where I feel confident to go back out on the pitch and enjoy myself.”