'When it does...": Sunderland boss has goal message for Chelsea youngster Mason Burstow

Tony Mowbray is confident that Mason Burstow will soon hit the goal trail after the youngster produced his most accomplished Sunderland display yet at Sheffield Wednesday.

Burstow is still looking to get off the mark in a red-and-white shirt but was hugely influential in his side's 3-0 win at Hillsborough, assisting Jack Clarke for the second goal and winning the penalty for the third with a brilliant piece of individual play.

Mowbray says he is pleased first and foremost with Burstow's work ethic and the way he is defending from the front for his side, and has no doubt that the goals will come as he continues to adjust to Sunderland's attacking style.

Friday night's game suggests that process is starting to develop quickly.

"I'm pleased with the work ethic that Mason is bringing to our team, and the fact that he can press from the front really, really well for us.

"He's got the energy to keep going. He just needs something to break for him and yet he's won the penalty for us tonight. It's going to come and like with Jack Clarke, when it does you will see that confidence and that belief just grow.

"Once he scores one I've got no doubt that he's going to go and score a lot for us."

Sunderland are now the division's top scorers despite not yet registering a goal from a recognised striker, but Mowbray believes it is only a matter of time before that statistic changes.

"I think our positional play as a team is better this year," Mowbray said.

"I'm pleased with how we move the ball around and how we've got threats all over the pitch. At some stage we have to integrate and we have to integrate Nazariy Rusyn and at some stage, with three games in a week we will gave Mason a rest and someone else will get a go.

"We'll look at different ways of playing as well, there will be times where we play two up front. We have to keep developing our team so that we can play in different ways."