Trai Hume impressed boss Tony Mowbray in his long-awaited first Championship start. Northern Ireland international Hume has had to be patient this season, with his appearances limited to substitute outings in the league and one start in the Carabao Cup.
The 20-year-old had not featured at all under Sunderland's new head coach until last week before an injury to Aji Alese meant Hume came off the bench for a 15-minute run-out at Blackburn last Tuesday. He kept his place in the side for Saturday's home game against Burnley which gave Mowbray his first opportunity to see him in action in a full senior game.
Like the rest of the team, Hume had a fine first half against the Clarets as Sunderland took a two-goal lead, but in the second period the side collapsed as Burnley went on to win 4-2. Mowbray said of Hume: "I thought he impacted the game in the first half.
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"Like a lot of players, you need to voice-control them really and it becomes more difficult when they are 70 yards away on the other side [of the pitch, as Hume was in the second half]. It's good for me to see Trai, because I have maybe seen him play in two U21 games but on Saturday I thought he was really good in the first half.
"In the second half, I'd put him in with the rest, really. We weren't good enough as a group."
Mowbray had previously said that Hume has knocked on his door to ask for more game time, and he has now got his wish. But whether he has done enough to keep Lynden Gooch out of the side when he recovers from the foot injury that has kept him out of the last two games is another matter.
Mowbray had hoped Gooch would be fit to face Burnley but in the end he did not even figure on the bench. However, if Gooch is passed fit for Saturday's trip to Luton Town, Mowbray will have a decision to make.
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