Tony Mowbray opens up on 'next stage' of plans for Sunderland's young stars Jewison Bennette and Edouard Michut

The Black Cats drew away to Luton Town at Kenilworth Road in the Championship last weekend but have struggled with injury since Mowbray’s arrival earlier in the season.

Strikers Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart have both been out for extended periods before the former’s return off the bench against the Hatters. Summer signing Dan Ballard was also a big loss early on in the campaign against Queens Park Rangers.

Add to that, the problems with Lynden Gooch, Niall Huggins, Aji Alese and Patrick Roberts at various times over the course of the season so far. Sunderland’s injury woes have prompted calls for the club’s impressive young stars to feature more.

Abdoullah Ba, 19, Edouard Michut, 19, and Jewison Bennette, 18, have all been tipped to start by supporters following some solid appearances off the bench for the trio. Mowbray, however, has been consistent in wanting to ease the starlets in carefully, even with the injury problems on Wearside.

“We are getting there,” Mowbray said pre-Huddersfield Town when asked about injuries and whether Sunderland’s younger players could cope with starting games soon. “Ross was on the training pitch with the physios. Danny Ballard was out there too.

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"We’re going to have options around the corner. Football is always a balance of what type of player you have. Elliot Embleton has played a lot of football for us. We have to try and manage the group. It feels like we have two spare players every game. We are trying to filter the young lads in.

“You have to be mindful to rotate but not weaken the team too much with the young lads. Michut came on against Luton and did well. We want to get him in the team because he is such a wonderful player but he hasn’t played too much and he is still getting up to speed.

“The good thing for me is that these lads are all just about around to start. The next stage is for them to start a game.”