SAM ALLARDYCE claims Jordan Pickford’s performances for Preston compelled him to recall the goalkeeper to the Stadium of Light, even if it means one of Costel Pantilimon or Vito Mannone leaving Sunderland.

Pickford will make his senior Sunderland debut in this afternoon’s FA Cup third-round tie at Arsenal, despite only returning from a loan spell at Preston on New Year’s Eve.

The 21-year-old, who kept 13 clean sheets in his 24 appearances for Simon Grayson’s Championship side, is regarded as one of the most promising young goalkeepers in the country, and Allardyce has already confirmed he will remain in Sunderland’s ranks for the second half of the season.

That will almost certainly mean either Pantilimon or Mannone dropping out of the first-team squad, and while the latter has been first choice in the last three matches, Allardyce does not really regard either as an established number one.

He has not received an offer for either player since the transfer window reopened, but would be willing to consider any realistic approach if it helped accommodate Pickford for the remainder of the campaign.

“What does it say to Costel and Vito? More pressure, perform better,” said Allardyce, who will give a number of Sunderland’s fringe players a chance to impress at the Emirates as he rests a number of his leading lights for next week’s Premier League double header with Swansea City and Tottenham.

“Somebody else is knocking on their door now. I don’t what will happen, but I know Pickford won’t be going anywhere, that’s for sure.

“If there was to be an offer from somebody else for either Costel or Vito, I’d probably call them in and say, ‘What do you want to do? Does it suit you and does it suit us?’ If that happens, we’ll talk about it, but it hasn’t happened yet.”

Nevertheless, Allardyce’s willingness to jettison one of his more senior shot-stoppers underlines the depth of his faith in Pickford, a Washington-born Under-21 international who has been one of the most highly-regarded members of Sunderland’s academy set-up for a number of years now.

Pickford spent time at Darlington, Alfreton Town, Burton Albion, Carlisle United and Bradford City prior to moving to Preston, and therefore boasts considerable senior experience, albeit at a lower level than the top-flight, despite his tender years.

Allardyce has watched a number of his performances at Preston, and feels his displays in the Championship more than merit an opportunity in Sunderland’s first team.

And while the Black Cats boss is keen not to pile too much pressure onto Pickford’s shoulders, he has likened the 21-year-old to England duo Joe Hart and Jack Butland at a similar stage of their own development.

“He’s had some rave reports at Preston about his performances,” said Allardyce. “He’s a Sunderland boy and a Sunderland fan, and he’s made such an outstanding impact at Preston that it would have been wrong of me not to bring him back here and try him at some stage.

“This was our only chance to do that because it was a season-long loan that had a window where we could take a view at this time of year. He will play in the first team at some stage because of his outstanding performances at Preston.

“I don’t want to put too much pressure on him because I haven’t seen him play for us yet, but I’ve seen him play for Preston and he’s following along the same lines as Hart and Butland isn’t he? I hope he follows in their footsteps.”

In particular, Allardyce has been impressed by Pickford’s willingness to head here, there and everywhere on loan in order to gather as much senior experience as possible.

“To become the goalkeeper that he is, every time the club has told him to go and get some first-team football somewhere, he’s done it,” he added. “He’s gone on loan to four or five different clubs, which has ultimately resulted in him playing first-team football on a regular basis and earned him the best loan deal he could get this year, which was in the Championship with Preston.

“He’s played every single game, won a load of man of the match awards and a load of praise from his manager, and his development through his own determination has been excellent.

“He’s said, ‘I will go to these clubs in Leagues One or Two and I will play first-team football and gain the experience I need, rather than languishing in the Under-21 team’.”

Pickford is likely to be the only member of today’s starting line-up with no previous experience of Sunderland’s first team, although fellow youngster Tom Beadling is expected to be on the bench and should be involved at some stage.

The likes of DeAndre Yedlin, Jordi Gomez, Ola Toivonen, Danny Graham and Steven Fletcher are all expected to return to the starting line-up, with Allardyce clearly prioritising next week’s league games over an extended FA Cup run.

“It’ll mainly be players who have played in the Premier League this year, and who have been in the squad all season,” he said. “It won’t be youngsters across the board in the team – it’ll only be one or two, and the rest will be seasoned experienced professionals.

“There will be one or two players rested who won’t travel, and one or two who have niggles, without them really being that serious, who will be rested to get ready for Swansea and Tottenham.”