Sunderland manager David Moyes has paid tribute to Duncan Watmore after he was ruled out for the season with a knee injury.
Good run of form
Watmore has been a consistent member of the Sunderland team in the 2016/17 season, this being the first real season where he has featured prominently in terms of starting games. Watmore has featured in all but one of Sunderland's games this season.
Although, Watmore hasn't scored a goal this term, he has made a real impact in recent weeks alongside forward partners Victor Anichiebe and Jermain Defoe, as Sunderland have won their first three games of the season against AFC Bournemouth, Hull City and most recently, Leicester City.
The injury
Watmore is offically out of action for the rest of the season with a cruciate knee ligament after a coming together with Leicester left back, Christian Fuchs. The tackle left the England under-21 international needing a stretcher to leave the field of play.
The former Hibernian loanee will not only be a huge miss for Sunderland, but he is also likely miss out on featuring in the UEFA European under-21 championships next Summer with England, where he has contributed in a big way over the past 18 months.
Manager's praise
Despite Watmore's season ending injury coming quite early in the campaign, manager David Moyes has been keen to praise the player's contribution in this first third of the season as he told local media, "Duncan has been terrific for us so he didin't deserve that, but he will come back."
Watmore joins fellow players under the age of 23 in the form of Paddy McNair and Lynden Gooch on the long term injury list, but Moyes remains hopeful of a return no matter how long it takes as he said: "These injuries are happening more regualrly now, players are coming back, surgeons are better, we look forward to Duncan returning."
The former Everton manager did conclude on the fact he dosen't expect to see Watmore in action again untill next August. Time is on 22-year-old Watmore's side and with him signing a contract extension last year to stay on Wearside till 2020, many people would doubt the last we've seen of Watmore putting in good displays for Sunderland was this season.