Chelsea youngster 'should be feeling the pressure'
Cameron Smith
- 3 Nov 2023 15:53 GMT
- 3 min read
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has admitted that on-loan Chelsea forward Mason Burstow “should be feeling the pressure” after failing to score in his first eight matches for the club.
Burstow, 20, joined Sunderland on a one-year loan deal , however he is yet to register his first goal.
The young forward was immediately thrust into the starting XI upon joining Sunderland, but after starting seven of the last eight Championship matches, Burstow was dropped to the bench for the 3-1 win over Norwich last weekend.
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He was an unused substitute during the game, with Mowbray revealing that it was the “right time” to remove Burstow from the starting XI.
The former Charlton star did register an assist in Sunderland’s 3-0 away win over Sheffield Wednesday in late September, but that is his only goal contribution for the club thus far.
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What has been said?
When asked whether Burstow is beginning to feel the pressure of not yet hitting the back of the net in a Sunderland shirt, Mowbray replied: “He's not suggesting that by his personality around the building and on the training ground.
“But I'm sure he is [feeling the pressure], I'm sure every striker who goes a few games without a goal feels that way.
“Is he feeling it? He should be feeling it. He's only a young kid of course, but we'll know the right time to take him out of the firing line and give somebody else an opportunity.”
Burstow still has less than 35 senior appearances to his name, however, and so time is certainly on his side when it comes to finding form at Championship level.
He has made three competitive Chelsea appearances so far, with the latest coming in the Blues’ 2-1 win against AFC Wimbledon in the Second Round of the Carabao Cup in late August. Burstow started that game and lasted 65 minutes before being replaced by Enzo Fernandez.
