Paddy McNair, the match-winner in Wednesday's EFL Cup tie at QPR, has asked Sunderland fans to be patient with him as he gets fully fit.
The 21-year-old defender, who played just his second full 90 minutes for Sunderland, joined from Manchester United last month without having had a full pre-season.
McNair scored his first Sunderland goals as the Black Cats came from behind to win at Loftus Road, earning a fourth-round trip to Southampton.
Speaking to Sunderland's official website, the Northern Ireland international said: "It was a good night for me personally but also for the team, and I think we deserved to go through to be honest.