WAHBI KHAZRI has been challenged to build on signs of improvement by proving he deserves to stay in the Sunderland team after finally earning a chance under David Moyes.

Khazri’s first start under Moyes in the Premier League arrived on Saturday when he helped the Black Cats to a 1-1 draw with West Bromwich Albion.

The draw was not enough to lift them out of the relegation zone and they are rooted to the foot of the table following Stoke City’s draw at Manchester United.

Sunderland, whose under-23s travel to Hartlepool in the Checkatrade Trophy tonight, have 11 days until they return to Premier League action at Stoke and Moyes hopes for the injury list to ease.

Khazri was handed an opportunity against West Brom because of a six-week lay-off for Adnan Januzaj but he was unable to deliver a performance to demand he keeps his place at the Bet365 Stadium.

There were positives to take from the 25-year-old’s display but Moyes wants more.

"I thought he did better, he looked in better shape,” said Moyes. “We changed him from the left to the right, because we had a couple of problems with them getting forward down the left in the early part of the game, we had to bring him across and we wanted to make sure we weren't going to get exposed.

"He's got the ability on the ball and I thought he kept the ball better, but he gave it away on a couple of occasions, which was unnecessary but all round he played better and his deliveries were better, but we can't just be playing someone for their deliveries.

“We need people to be part of it but I think his contribution was better, he just ran out of steam in the last part of the game really.”

Khazri, a £9m buy from Bordeaux, was important in Sunderland’s battle to beat the drop last season under Sam Allardyce but he was not as fit as he should have been when he returned for pre-season.

But the 25-year-old is determined to become a regular. He said: “I am aggressive, I like the fight. Every day I work and want to help the team.

“Now I need to work. I don’t have the rhythm to my play because I haven’t played much. I was happy with my performance. I had some good runs and passing was good. But I wasn’t happy because we didn’t win the game.

“Last season was totally different because I played every game. This season I haven’t – I need to work. I didn’t doubt myself.”

Moyes’ admission that Patrick van Aanholt could be used as wing-back could help Khazri’s cause. The Tunisian international prefers to play behind the striker but has tended to be a winger since his arrival in January.

A lot will depend on the personnel the manager has to call on at Stoke and he will monitor his injured players carefully over the next couple of weeks.

Kirchhoff is the latest player to be sidelined and he is being assessed to determine how serious the hamstring problem is. He is unlikely to face the Potters, though, and there are fears he is facing weeks out, having already missed the August programme through injury.

Sunderland first-team coach Robbie Stockdale will be without experience at Hartlepool tonight. The Under-23s will include players such as Rees Greenwood, Tom Robson and George Honeyman as they look to make a mark in the competition which calls for academy teams to field six players who were aged under 21 on June 30.