Pierre Ekwah will benefit from being thrown in at the deep end for the first senior start of his career, according to Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray. The January signing from West Ham was handed his first start in Friday night's game against runaway Championship leaders Burnley, with the Black Cats coming away from Turf Moor with a deserved point from the goalless draw.
Ekwah had made ten appearances from the bench - including eight in the league - for Sunderland, but it was a different challenge altogether to start and complete 65 minutes against the best team in the division and the the 21-year-old midfielder acquitted himself well. Mowbray said: "People need experience, otherwise how do you ever get up to speed?
"Pierre has now played in a game against the top team in the league, and it'll be an amazing experience for him. I've been saying to him from day one that he has to get up to speed.
