Jack Ross has revealed that Duncan Watmore has impressed this pre-season as he battles back from yet another injury, as reported by the Sunderland Echo.

Watmore has suffered two ACL injuries in three seasons, limiting his first team appearances as Sunderland slid to successive relegations.

He returned to action in December of last season, only to have his campaign cut short by a crude Marcus Bean challenge not long after scoring for the Black Cats in their 1-1 draw with Wycombe.

The 25-year-old is back on the recovery trail once again and Ross admitted he's been pushing the winger as hard as he can this summer.

“I have kept pushing and pushing for him to break barriers and he has bought into that," said the former St Mirren boss.

“He has not missed a session in pre-season and that is good. Even before the game against South Shields he was a little bit stiff, as we had a session before the game, but again it is about breaking that barrier."

Watmore came on as a second half sub in the recent win against the non-league outfit, his first action since last season and Ross was impressed with his condition.

“He looks like he is stronger and fitter than he was when he came back last season and that is a big plus for us."

The former Altrincham man played 16 times for the Wearsiders last season, scoring twice, but had his season cut short in early March in that tempestuous Wycombe encounter which saw three men sent off.

The Verdict

It's a cliche to say he'll be like a new player for Sunderland, but they didn't get him firing properly until after the New Year last season and he was put back out of action at the very start of March.

He's been so unlucky with injuries but it didn't seem to affect him mentally. Sometimes, when a player comes back after such a long spell out, they're a little reticent with their challenges or less committed when going for an aerial challenge.

That wasn't the case with Watmore; he was still running at defenders and didn't seem to have lost that turn of pace which marked him out as a future star once upon a time.

His return will be a huge benefit to Sunderland early on this coming season.