Milan Aleksić showed plenty of promise for Sunderland on Saturday

Today at 01:00 AM

The young midfielder was pitched in at a difficult time against Millwall, but his display was encouraging and he also showed a good attitude.

As far as environments and game dynamics go, being 0-1 up The Den with Millwall doing their utmost to get back on level terms isn't the easiest situation to be pitched into, but that's where Milan Aleksić found himself on Saturday afternoon.

At the time of his introduction, we were attempting to close out what would've been an impressive victory given the backdrop of injuries and suspensions against which our trip to South London was set, and after Aaron Connolly volleyed us into an early lead, the belief that we could earn one of our best victories of the season was rising.

It's true that the hosts had started to gain an increasingly strong foothold by the time Régis Le Bris turned to his bench, and with limited options available, this was the opportunity that Aleksić had been waiting for.

Unfortunately, when all was said and done, there was a lot of focus on a missed chance (perhaps a result of over-enthusiasm and a slight lack of composure at a key moment) which was promptly followed by a Lions equaliser as heavy Sunderland legs and tired minds were caught out by a well-worked goal from Femi Azeez.

As the second half unfolded, it increasingly felt like something was going to happen, but on another day and with more composure and better game management, we would've ensured that no counter-attack was forthcoming. That's certainly fixable, after recent results hinted at a slight weakness when it comes to seeing games through.

That said, Aleksić's missed opportunity certainly wasn't the reason we ended up dropping two points; indeed, I don't think any blame should've been apportioned to him at all, for the goal was a collective failure as we mounted a forlorn chase with players out of position and unable to prevent the hosts from taking advantage.

Slide the ball an inch wider of Lukas Jensen's outstretched leg, and suddenly a new hero emerges. Fine margins, ifs and buts, but he's certainly no villain.

Generally speaking, I was encouraged by Aleksić's display on Saturday, and after the clamour to see him in first team action, it's fair to say that the evidence points to a talented player who, like so many before him, will simply need time and patience as he embarks on the next stage of his career at the Stadium of Light.

Against Millwall, he showed plenty of willingness to graft, as well as playing some neat passes and demonstrating that he's not afraid to get physical with one particularly crunching tackle.

Yes, scoring the goal that would've made it 0-2 would've been the stuff of dreams, but there'll be other games, other moments, and more chances for him to get his name on the scoresheet.

Given the list of absentees we had to deal with and the fact that both our chemistry and cohesion were probably far below their optimum levels at the weekend, I think he deserves credit for the way in which he went about his business.

In an ideal world, Le Bris might well have turned to Aleksić on a more comfortable afternoon at home as opposed to a backs-to-the-wall clash with one of the division's most abrasive and efficient sides, but this was a more than encouraging debut and I really hope that he takes some confidence from it.

Sunderland have a genuine duty of care to these young lads, and that's something that can't be overlooked.

Just like Tommy Watson, who put in a very strong showing on the left wing after being drafted in for the injured Romaine Mundle, Aleksić is clearly viewed as a long-term investment and it may well be that his first team appearances become slightly more infrequent when everyone's fit, with his prospects for this season and beyond very much in mind.

Balancing the need to be competitive in the league with the desire to help our youngsters develop is by no means an easy task, but as we've seen with the likes of Chris Rigg and Mundle, it can pay dividends and given the positive attitude demonstrated by Aleksić on Saturday, he seems to be fully plugged into what this team represents and that his undoubted skill is complimented by a willingness to do the hard yards.

He'll probably experience few tougher challenges this season than the one he faced at The Den, and with every game he plays, he'll pick up vital knowledge that can only serve him well.

He'll get more chances as the season unfolds, and as a sample of the more rugged and gritty side of Championship football, his effort on Saturday was by no means wasted, and the next time he's presented with such a chance, he'll hopefully bury it.