TONY MOWBRAY is delighted with the way in which Trai Hume has seized his opportunity in Sunderland’s first team, and sees the youngster as a key part of his first-team squad for the remainder of the season.

Hume joined the Black Cats from Northern Irish side Linfield last January, but found his first-team opportunities in the second half of last season extremely limited with former Sunderland boss Alex Neil handing him just three senior appearances.

The 20-year-old was similarly underused in the early months of the current campaign, but his fortunes were transformed last month when an injury to Lynden Gooch created an opening in the first team.

Having come off the bench during the Boxing Day win over Blackburn Rovers, Hume was promoted to the starting line-up for the 4-1 win at Wigan between Christmas and New Year.

He retained his place for the league game with Blackpool and FA Cup success at Shrewsbury, and while Gooch’s return to fitness placed a question mark over his involvement in last weekend’s game with Swansea, he kept his place at right-back with Gooch being moved over to the opposite flank.

A month or so ago, there was talk of Hume potentially being loaned out to gained first-team experience in the second half of the season, but having proved his credentials in the last few weeks, he will be remaining on Wearside as a key part of Mowbray’s defensive set-up.

“I think it’s only opportunity,” said the Sunderland boss, when asked to account for Hume’s sudden rise to prominence in the last few weeks. “Trai was often in my office when he wasn’t playing, wanting a chance. I would tell him, as I did, that he had to be patient and wait for an opportunity.

“I thought the team was functioning pretty well without him. We were playing Gooch and (Dennis) Cirkin, or Aji (Alese) was fit, but injuries have given him an opportunity and he’s grabbed it with both hands. He looks very talented and very strong. His passing is good, and he looks like a really good full-back.”

Sunderland will be without Luke O’Nien for the remainder of the month, with the defender set to receive a three-match ban for his dismissal for serious foul play in Saturday’s defeat to Swansea.

Fortunately, the repositioned centre-half’s absence through suspension will coincide with the return of Danny Batth, who came onto the field as a substitute for Patrick Roberts in the immediate aftermath of O’Nien’s dismissal at the weekend.

Batth showed no ill effects from his injury absence as he slotted back into the heart of the back four, and the former Middlesbrough loanee is set to line up alongside Dan Ballard when his former club head to Wearside for Sunday’s Wear-Tees derby.

Corry Evans should also be fine to face Boro after confirming his wellbeing by seeing out 83 minutes of the Swansea game.

It was Evans’ first appearance since the Boxing Day win over Blackburn, and while Edouard Michut and Abdoullah Ba have both stepped into the heart of midfield impressively in his absence, the Sunderland skipper’s combative qualities will be welcome amid the hurly-burly of Sunday’s derby.

“I feel fine,” said Evans. “I had a tight hamstring after the Blackburn game, so it was just the right decision to rest up for a few games. I’ve been training away in the last week or so and I feel fine."