DAVID MOYES hopes sidelined Jordan Pickford can make a swift return to action to strengthen his claims to become the first ever Sunderland player to be named the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Young Player of the Year.

Pickford has been ruled out for the next couple of months at least with a knee injury sustained during the Boxing Day defeat at Manchester United, even though he has learned that rest rather than surgery will rectify the problem.

The 22-year-old, who would qualify for the PFA honour because he was under the age of 23 at the start of the campaign, has turned in a string of impressive displays since winning his place following an injury to Vito Mannone in August.

Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool are among the clubs monitoring his progress, although Moyes has repeatedly outlined his belief that he is better off at playing regularly at Sunderland before moving on.

The Black Cats boss just wants to see Pickford make a speedy recovery in the hope of pushing Mannone for his place in the final few months of the campaign - having placed himself into contention for the Young Player of the Year won Spurs’ Dele Alli and Harry Kane in the last two years.

The Sunderland boss said: “Of all the young British talent that has really come through in the last year or so, the Harry Kane’s and the Dele Alli’s, if you’d asked me who is the best young English player to emerge this year, I’d be hard pushed to pick anyone better than Jordan Pickford.

“For me, he would be a contender for Young Player of the Year because his performances have been so good. It is not wrong to say that he has saved us points and goalkeepers that do that are vital and he’s done that for us this year, so he will be a big miss.

“I think people thought he had potential - he has proven that in the Championship - but until you get that opportunity at the highest level, you can never really tell.”

Moyes was majorly concerned by Pickford’s injury when he left Old Trafford last Monday but wanted him to be assessed carefully before any rash judgements were made.

Moyes, who will turn to Mannone at Burnley on New Year’s Eve, said: “Jordan damaged it in the Man United game in a collision and he’s stretched his cruciate ligament but it has not snapped so it doesn’t need an operation, just time.

“We think it is between six and eight weeks at the moment but it is a massive blow for us and a massive blow for the boy as well. He has been outstanding, he really has been.

“At the start of the season, it was probably touch and go who was going to get the nod to start in goal, and Vito just got it because of his experience.”

Mannone will be drafted in for a Premier League game for the first time since August 21 when Sunderland lost at Middlesbrough; he suffered an elbow injury in training which required surgery.

Moyes said: “What we have got is an experienced goalkeeper in Vito to come in. If you remember, we were wondering how Jordan was going to handle it when we lost Vito to an injury previously.

“Sometimes when people are giving an opportunity, in football, or in life, it is up to them to take it and Jordan took his. We now have to say there are opportunities for other people - Vito has got his chance to come back into the team - but we have had a strange amount of cruciate-like injuries this season.

“Vito is a quality keeper and that’s good for us because we need a top goalkeeper. Jordan has set very high standards and Vito now has to try matching them. But I’ve no doubt he’ll do well, he has shown in the past that he can impress. He’s been a big part in helping Sunderland stay in this division over the last few years.”

Sunderland hope to have Javier Manquillo, Steven Pienaar and Jack Rodwell available again for the trip to Turf Moor, while Jermain Defoe will lead the line despite further speculation about his future.

After it emerged West Ham are keen to pay £6m for Defoe, Hammers boss Slaven Bilic has fuelled talk by stating: “He's a very good player, with the way he's scoring goals for Sunderland. He's always been spot on, top. I have a few midfielders who tell me he's the best from the strikers they've played with. But he's a Sunderland player.”

Moyes is adamant Sunderland do not want to sell – and does not think the 35-year-old is looking to leave either.

He said: “I’m comfortable with other people talking about him. I think his stats show he’s something like the best British goalscorer this year, so it’s going to happen. But I’ve never had contact from anybody.

“He doesn’t go. He’s under contract and he stays here. It’s the biggest thing for us. We need him to score the goals. I don’t have to talk to him about, there’s no need for him.

“I think he has an affinity for this club and we need his goals, he’s vital to us. Players can get their heads turned; that happens in football. But I’ve not seen Slaven’s words, I’ve had no phone calls and there’s no need for us to talk or worry about it.”