Michael Beale drops big selection hint ahead of Newcastle United tie with strong backing for Sunderland player

Michael Beale says he believes Nazariy Rusyn can became a crowd favourite at Sunderland and has strongly hinted that he is ready to give the Ukrainian a run in the side - including against Newcastle United this weekend.

Rusyn ended Sunderland's long wait for a goal from a recognised striker this season with an excellent finish in the 2-0 win over Preston North End on New Year's Day, with Beale praising his consistent work ethic afterwards. Ahead of this weekend's Wear-Tyne derby in the FA Cup Third Round, Beale was asked whether he felt it was time to give a striker - and specifically Rusyn - an extended run to try and make the position his own given the club's lack of clinical edge across the campaign so far.

Beale made clear that he did: “The first half of the Rotherham game was deflating for me, to be honest. I could just see that we were really blunt in the attack. It wasn’t so much an issue with the players that we had on the pitch, it was more an issue with the balance and the blend of those players.

"We made a conscious decision to change things at half-time in that game, and went with Mason [Burstow] for the second half. "Then, through having some conversations and watching and learning more about Naz, I felt it was the right time to give him a go. In the couple of games before I’d come, he’d hit the bar in one of the games and been unlucky. His work ethic is quite infections, and that was really my focus for him going into the team on New Year’s Day.

"We knew we were leggy going into it, but we knew he was an infectious player who was going to work hard. It was important he focused on that first, giving the team a real work ethic with his pressing, and I think the goals will come off the back of that. That’s what’s happened for him, and long may that continue. I think the challenge for him this weekend is much greater, but he goes into it in the best possible frame of mind."

Beale said Rusyn's goal was a relief not just for the player himself but for the whole group as their attentions turn to the FA Cup campaign.

“It was a lovely personal moment for him, but it was a real weight off the backs of the fans and the rest of the squad too," Beale said. "It was important that we had a striker score a goal. The focus has been on Jack’s [Clarke] run, which was a fantastic run, but the movement was Naz was very, very good too.

"That's maybe something that the team has lacked so far this season. I’m sure he will go into the weekend’s game full of confidence. "You can see how hard he works at his game, and the fans have taken to that already. If he can continue scoring, then he’ll become a fans’ favourite quite quickly I believe."