Sunderland claimed another huge win in the Championship on Saturday.
Sunderland made the 13-hour round trip to Fratton Park on Saturday, to go up against a familiar foe in Portsmouth.
Both teams have spent some recent years in League One with Pompey having won the title last season, and having made a steady start to life back in the Championship.
John Mousinho’s side had drawn all three of their Championship games before the visit of Sunderland, who’d won all three of their opening league fixtures under Regis Le Bris.
And Le Bris and Sunderland maintained their perfect record this season with a 3-0 win at Fratton Park, courtesy of an own goal, as well as goals from Eliezer Mayenda and Romaine Mundle.
Eliezer Mayenda shines for Sunderland v Portsmouth
Le Bris now has some good striking options in his first-team squad. But it was Mayenda who led the line.
Mayenda got off the mark this season with his brace against Sheffield Wednesday earlier in the month.
He looked like the unlikely man to lead the line for Sunderland this season and he’s so far impressed, with another solid display against Portsmouth on Saturday.
So much so that journalist Phil Smith hailed the 19-year-old on X, posting:
The challenge facing Eliezer Mayenda at Sunderland
The first task for Mayenda this season was to simply get off the mark in term of goals, and he did that, twice, against Sheffield Wednesday earlier this month.
Now though with Wilson Isidor and Ahmed Abdullahi for competition, the challenge for Mayenda has broadened.
He has to prove to Le Bris that he has the attributes to lead the line for Sunderland and in such a high-pressing and intense side, the key asset that Le Bris may look for is work effort.
And Mayenda worked hard once again vs Portsmouth. He put himself about, and whilst he may still be raw, that might be all that Le Bris wants from a no. right now.
Goals can still come from other positions on the pitch. Whilst goals for Mayenda is still key, his work-rate alone might keep him int he starting XI for a while longer yet.