DAVID MOYES has admitted that Sunderland’s lengthy injury list has forced him to use more younger players than he wanted but believes the woeful start can turn them from boys to men.

Patrick van Aanholt became the latest Black Cats player to be sidelined through injury when he suffered an adductor strain during Saturday’s sixth defeat of the season at Stoke City, where supporters let their frustrations known at the end.

The Dutchman will be assessed again today to determine the length of time he will be out, although it is expected he will be missing when Sunderland head to West Ham United this weekend. It’s the same injury which has ruled Jason Denayer out for a fortnight.

Sunderland – many of whose fans are starting to question Moyes’ decisions more - are already without key players such as Lee Cattermole, Lamine Kone, Fabio Borini, Vito Mannone and Jan Kirchhoff, who all boast experience of a winning a relegation battle.

The absence of such players has meant Moyes has had to thrust more of the younger members of his squad into action more regularly this season and he does not think that is boosting his cause to turn things around.

But he said: “I think you need players with experience and people who’ve been there and done it a bit more because they can see through a bit more, and understand bits of the nature the game where we are.

“We had Didier Ndong, Javier Manquillo, Duncan Watmore, Paddy McNair, even Jordan Pickford – a lot of young players. It was our choice to get them and they will get better and become good ones but we tried not to use them all at once before.

“For the young ones, who are not seeing a result at the end maybe – some are coming on, and having to take on an even bigger role and more responsibility than maybe they are ready for at this moment in time.

“We really need players back from injury. We have had very little up top apart from Jermain Defoe to give us an opportunity.”

Sunderland have been in a similar position in each of the last four years at the foot of the table at this stage, and Saturday’s defeat means they have gone winless through eight games for the third of those campaigns.

Moyes has already previously admitted Sunderland are in a relegation battle before November has even come round and he hopes his young guns can become stronger characters for the experience and then the club can grow with them integral.

The Sunderland boss said: “I do think it will make them men. If we do come through it will be an experience to remember because they will know what it’s like to dig deep, to grind it out and that when confidence is a bit low you can find a solution to win games.

“Sometimes that’s not necessarily through good football, sometimes there is no real prescription to how you win games. We tried to be a bit more attacking but just gave the ball away on the edge of box. With inexperienced, young players that’s what you get – it’s part of their development and we will correct it, work with it, that’s just the way it is.”

Sunderland did welcome back Billy Jones and Steven Pienaar after injury at the Bet365 Stadium, while Victor Anichebe built up his fitness with a late run-out following his arrival as a free agent last month.

When Moyes takes his team to the London Stadium for the first time this weekend there is only likely to be one player returning from the injury list, with Ivorian defender Kone’s hamstring problem not thought to be serious.

Regardless of the personnel in the team, however, Sunderland have to stop making the sort of mistakes which has left them staring at a four point gap to 17th already.

Moyes said: “We gave it away. I would love to blame the ref. But we could have avoided it. We have to take full responsibility. 

“I thought we quelled Stoke the first four or five minutes – that might not sound long but there were signs we were doing things slightly better. The evidence comes from if you create chances or concede goals and we didn’t do either well enough.”

Moyes came in for criticism from sections of the travelling fans at Stoke but he only had praise for them, knowing how frustrated they are with having to endure another dire start to a Premier League campaign.

Moyes said: "When you've got supporters like Sunderland you're always going to be there and be successful and they were outstanding again.  We did some good things but conceded a terrible goal for the first. We played better than we had done in recent games but we had to make sure we got to half-time at 1-0 down.

"We need to get better in all areas. But what I've seen in training recently tells me we're getting there, especially with our work on the ball. It was an inexperienced team out there but we're trying to get them better, we're working on them.”

Sunderland’s position at the foot of the table needs to improve dramatically in the next couple of months or they will be faced with another testing transfer window.

Everton are understood to be considering a fresh approach for Kone when it opens even though he has signed a new contract since the summer speculation. The Toffees are also one of the clubs keeping an eye on Jordan Pickford’s progress after last week’s call-up to the England squad.

Sources in Spain have suggested Moyes has lined up a loan deal for Barcelona winger Aleix Vidal.