Tony Mowbray drops big Sunderland selection hint in verdict on squad progress

The Black Cats welcome Burnley to the Stadium of Light on Saturday afternoon for their third game of the week, an injury to Aji Alese meaning at least one change is certain. Edouard Michut, Jewison Bennette and Abdoullah Ba are all still yet to start a Championship game, while Amad has only started once.

The quartet all have a good chance of being involved again from the bench but the head coach is determined to be patient in integrating them into the club and the Championship.

"These are really talented players," he said.

"I deal with them every day and they are young boys acclimatising to a new country, a new league and a new club. There is so much going on in their lives right now as they adjust, and then you're throwing them on in front of 40,000 expecting a lot of them.

"They need a bit of time and as the season unfolds, and this is what I say to them all the time, those 30 minutes will become 60 from the start... not every week because if we have three in a week you have to assess whether you can back-to-back-to-back, because that's new for them as well.

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"I just have to integrate them into the team really, I like them and I would not be playing them if I didn't think they were ready. I just don't think they're quite ready in terms of starting, to make the impact that the players they would be replacing would be bringing.

"We've got 13 or 14 with that genuine trust that whatever formation you pick [you know what they'll deliver] and there are probably another four or five who can make an impact in a game for us. Their challenge is to turn that 13 or 14 into 18 or 19, and get to that level where we know they can do the same job.

"At the moment they are showing their talent and building up to that [regular starts], I think."

Mowbray also knows that the moment for many of these players to start will inevitably come in the weeks ahead. Sunderland have three players one booking away from suspension (Alex Pritchard, Jack Clarke and Luke O'Nien) and another four just two bookings away.

The Sunderland youngsters who do not get any significant game time this Saturday will be asked to keep their match fitness up by featuring for the U21s against Stoke City on Sunday afternoon.

Mowbray said: "There's a 21s game at St George's Park on Sunday and I'm going to sit and talk to these boys about not seeing it as a punishment if we get you on the coach thing first thing Sunday to go and play.

"You have to play 90 minutes, you have to be ready because an opportunity could be just around the corner. Don't sulk, it'll be a good pitch in an amazing environment, so go and get 90 because this might be the weekend where we pick up those crucial bookings."