PATRICK van Aanholt took a huge gamble playing seven weeks after suffering a dislocated shoulder, but the Sunderland defender admits he was desperate to return having cemented his place in Gus Poyet’s team.

Van Aanholt joined the Black Cats from Chelsea in the summer after spending several seasons out on loan. At 24, and with little prospect of breaking into Jose Mourinho’s side, the Dutchman felt it was time to move on in order to further his career.

With Sunderland on the lookout for a natural left-back, a move to the Stadium of Light suited both parties and the defender fast established himself as one of Poyet’s most consistent performers in the early weeks of the season.

Disaster struck when van Aanholt suffered a dislocated shoulder following a challenge on Wilfried Zaha in Sunderland’s win at Crystal Palace at the beginning of November and Poyet confirmed he would be without the former Newcastle United loanee for up to three months.

However, seven weeks later van Aanholt made a surprise return in the Wearsiders’ FA Cup third round win over Leeds United, in which he scored the winner, and the Holland international explains why he was happy to take a risk by playing again so soon.

He said: “It was a risk. I was supposed to be out for twelve weeks and I came back after seven-and-a-half, but I spoke with everyone and trained the day before (the Leeds game) and the manager made the decision to play me.

“I couldn’t do anything, but I was running outside after four weeks to keep my fitness up. I couldn’t do any contact work so I’ve been working on that with the team and I’m back fit now.

“I’m happy that I could work on my legs and stay fit while I was out. It helped me and meant I could go straight back into the team.

“I came back as soon as possible. It is nice to be talked about and to be part of the team and I wanted to play so I focused on coming back quickly and it paid off.

“I came here to play games and I’m grateful I have the opportunity to do that. I got injured and missed a few weeks, but I’m back now and I’m ready to play more games.”

Van Aanholt has shown a desire to get forward on several occasions this season and his perseverance was rewarded with an impressive strike against Leeds.

The Dutch defender believes he offers a different dimension to Sunderland’s offensive play, but insists his main concern is keeping the Black Cats tight at the back.

“I’m a defender first and that’s what I focus on,” van Aanholt said. “I like to go forward and if I score a goal I will be very happy, but if I don’t it’s about the team and me helping us keep clean sheets.”

Jermain Defoe is in line to make his debut against former club Tottenham this afternoon and having been part of several teams that have failed to score this term the Dutchman believes the former England striker’s arrival is a massive boost.

He said: “I get forward a lot and I like to cross the ball into the box and set up a goal for the strikers, but we need strikers that can score. We have been working on it in training so I’m not worried about that. We will get it.

“I have played against him (Defoe). He will be great for us.”