Romaine Mundle has thrived in his new role following Jack Clarke’s departure from Sunderland.
Clarke had spent the last two seasons as one of the first names on the team-sheet at Sunderland, leaving Mundle with only six starts since joining the club in January.
Clarke’s move to Ipswich Town allowed the 21-year-old to reclaim a starting spot against Burnley though, and it wasn’t long before he put the Black Cats into the lead.
Mundle’s goal was actually very Clarke-like, and it went onto secure a huge three points for the hosts.
The winger could well be Clarke’s replacement following his Premier League switch and he has made a great early impression on supporters.
It isn’t just the fans who have praised him either, with his former teammate taking to Instagram to share his support.
Clarke heapes praise on his Sunderland replacement
Mundle shared a photo of his goal on social media and Clarke was one of the first to respond.
The 23-year-old wrote: “Exceptional ❤️”, to which Mundle replied: “❤️🎥”.
Mundle and Clarke were both together at Tottenham Hotspur earlier in their career, before being reunited at the Stadium of Light.
The pair failed to force their way into the first team at Spurs, but Mundle will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of his former teammate on Wearside.
Romaine Mundle deserves a chance in the starting line-up
The youngster’s early signs have shown plenty of promise, but he has looked very raw and chaotic – similar to Clarke during his loan spell at the club.
The Ipswich man really didn’t impress in his first stint with Sunderland, but the two seasons that followed were truly exceptional.
There is no reason why Mundle can’t enjoy the same success and he really deserves the chance to make his mark in the Championship.
It will be interesting to see what Sunderland do with the money they have cashed in from Clarke’s exit, but it definitely seems worth it to give Mundle the opportunity to claim Clarke’s spot rather than leaving him to fight for his place from the bench.
Clarke’s departure was far from ideal and a little heartbreaking, but the win over Burnley has kept spirits high and has proven Regis Le Bris can guide this team to glory without him.