Jack Clarke came to the rescue again for Sunderland when the Black Cats travelled to Millwall last match, scoring a second-half penalty to level the scores at the Den late on and help his team pick up a share of the points.
Sunderland are experiencing a minor wobble in form in the division – Tony Mowbray's promotion hopefuls dropping to ninth recently with only one win from their last five second-tier encounters – but Clarke consistently remains the Black Cats hero even when games are slipping out of their grasp.
The former Tottenham winger has managed to hit double figures already for goals this campaign, scoring ten times whilst assisting one further goal from down the flanks.
Sunderland are overly reliant on the tricky forward to score crucial goals however, Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham coming in next in the top scorer charts with an inferior three goals.
Mowbray will be currently anxious that Clarke's continued electric form for the Black Cats will see Premier League suitors reignite interest in the 23-year-old this January, alongside further transfer reports linking Trai Hume with a move away from the Stadium of Light to Leeds United unsettling the 60-year-old even more.
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Sunderland could well look inward for an immediate replacement if Clarke does depart in the upcoming transfer window, U21s star Ellis Taylor excellent in the Premier League 2 this campaign.
Ellis Taylor's statistics at youth level
Taylor – who has played in a number of positions at youth level for Sunderland – has amassed 12 goals from 47 starts for the U21s since making the step up from U18s football.
The 20-year-old has predominantly scored those goals playing down the left-hand side of the pitch, either as an outright winger or as an expansive full-back bombing down the pitch to help his team maraud forward.
In the Premier League 2 this season, Taylor has even slotted in at right-back from time to time – the versatile youngster even picked up an assist playing in this unorthodox role against Tottenham U21 in late October.
Adaptable at filling in wherever needed, Taylor could be a useful option to bring into the first team not just for the possibility of Clarke moving on but also for Hume exiting the building.
Ellis Taylor's style of play
This ability to play all over the pitch did confuse then-Hartlepool manager Keith Curle when the 20-year-old was loaned out to the Pools last season, Curle cutting Taylor's loan short owing to the fact the former Manchester City player turned manager didn't know where his best position was.
Mowbray will want to utilise his young player's versatility better, but the Black Cats will have to tie their multifaceted youngster down to a new deal sooner rather than later to keep him at the Stadium of Light – Taylor's deal with the club running out in June next year.
With Sunderland boasting a reputation now for nurturing youngsters properly and giving them a chance within the first-team fold, Taylor could slot into the line-up in the not-so-distant future for the Black Cats and fill gaps left behind by current stars rumoured to be on their way out this January.