HAVING been selected ahead of skipper Lee Cattermole in Sunderland’s last two matches, Jack Colback is enjoying his new-found status as one of the club’s senior stars.

The past few weeks could turn out to have been a pivotal moment in the career of Colback, 22, who started the opening four Premier League matches before being dropped as Steve Bruce sought to make changes in the wake of a winless start to the campaign.

Colback and Cattermole were both axed in the wake of September’s 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, but while the latter was promoted to the starting line-up for last month’s 2-2 draw with West Brom, it is the former who has started the Black Cats’ more recent matches against Bolton and Aston Villa.

Last weekend, Colback controlled the central area while Cattermole remained rooted to the substitutes’ bench, a scenario that represents a significant shift in the established midfield order.

In each of the last two seasons, Killingworth-born Colback has been loaned to Ipswich.

But suddenly, he finds himself keeping Sunderland’s club captain out of the side.

“It’s a huge confidence boost to be picked in front of some great players – internationals and established Premier League players,” said Colback, who is also being preferred to Craig Gardner, a £5m summer arrival from Birmingham City.

“Personally, it has been a good start to the season, what with playing games and being considered a first-team player.

I’ve come a long way in the last 12 months, but I think there’s loads more to come from me yet. I think I will get better.

“I missed a couple of games, which was disappointing, but I just tried to keep my head down and managed to get back in the team. Playing just breeds confidence, the more I play – the better I play, the more I will improve and the better things will get.”

Saturday’s game with Villa was only Colback’s 15th senior start for Sunderland, and given the pressure that was mounting prior to last month’s crucial win at Bolton’s Reebok Stadium, it could be argued that the youngster’s lack of experience made him an unlikely candidate for a crucial midfield role at such a fraught time of the season.

Yet while Colback has had limited previous involvement in Sunderland’s first team, he made more than 50 appearances for an Ipswich side that regularly struggled to live up to expectations at the foot of the Championship table.

The Suffolk club’s struggles eventually led to the departure of former Sunderland boss Roy Keane, and having gradually learned how to handle the demands of an expectant support at Portman Road, Colback insists he is capable of handling the pressure of life at the Stadium of Light.

“It’s always unfortunate when you’re playing and there’s pressure on, but I’ve had it before,” he said. “It’s part and parcel of football.

“I had it a lot at Ipswich as well. We were bottom of the league despite having loads of experience in the side. You have to go into games with no fear, and that’s what I think I can do.”

􀁧 Sunderland are running the rule over two of Scandinavia’s most highly-rated young prospects.

The club have offered trials to Helsingborgs striker Robert Mirosavic and Vasteras winger Linus Sjoberg.

Mirosavic, 16, has previously trained at Arsenal and Manchester City, while Sjoberg, 17, underwent a trial at Manchester United two years ago.