Tony Mowbray explains Eliezer Mayenda's Sunderland absence in encouraging update

Tony Mowbray says Eliezer Mayenda remains on track to make his Sunderland debut in the near future.

Mayenda made his first appearance in a red-and-white shirt since signing from Sochaux in the summer in a behind-closed-doors game against Hibernian on Monday, and had been expected to be on the bench for Norwich City's visit on Saturday afternoon.

Mowbray said he had decided not to risk Mayenda after the striker reported some minor discomfort in his hamstring. The Sunderland head coach said the 18-year-old would be ready to make his first senior appearance before long.

"It's a very, very minor setback," Mowbray said.

"I think he probably could have been on the bench today but if he's telling the medical department he's feeling his hamstring a little bit, even though he finished the whole training session yesterday, I made the call.

"If he's feeling his hamstring and telling the medical department, I don't think it's worth the gamble," Mowbray added. "He's nearly there, he's nearly ready, he's done three or four full training sessions and played an U21s game against Hibs.

"He'll be in and around it over the next week or two, I'm sure. It just wasn't worth the gamble of throwing him in today if he's feeling anything, so we left him out."

Sunderland forward Bradley Dack returned to the bench on Saturday after a minor hamstring issue, with some hope that Adil Aouchiche could follow to further bolster the ranks for the trip to Swansea City next weekend.