Cardiff City boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has defended on-loan Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha.

Alan Shearer ripped in to Cardiff's on loan striker for a lack of work rate in Sunday's Premier League defeat at Sunderland.

Solskjaer said Zaha had been hurt by the comments made by the former England star on Match of the Day 2 last Sunday.

"Wilf is a young player playing for the first time in the Premier League," said the Bluebirds' boss.

"Being singled out like that hurts.

"He came on when we had 10 men and if you look at the stats, he ran more than anyone else in that half.

"I don't think it's fair to single out the boy when he has run miles more than average."

Zaha has failed to score in 12 games and has started in only four Premier League matches.

But Solskjaer claims those figures do not deserve the stick that he gets.

"You could have highlighted two or three things that Wilf did well and people would have said 'look at the impact he has had'," said the Norwegian. "Likewise you can highlight two or three mistakes and then criticise him.

"I think he now has a point to prove. Of course he's hurt, as are his family and friends.

"Wilf probably doesn't know this, but my apartment overlooks our training ground.

"On a Thursday, at 5 or 6pm when everyone else has finished, he is there training and practising his finishing. He is just a boy who wants to play football and prove himself.

"There were obviously great expectations of him because of the price tag.

"But he has talent and he will become a good player.

"I know he will have a very good career wherever he plays. Hopefully for him, that's Man United or Cardiff."