Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill says the impact of James McClean has lifted their young players.

O'Neill understands the psychological impact on the club's junior teams.

"I was speaking to our academy director (Ged McNamee), and James didn't come through the academy, but he said it gives everybody a lift," he said. "All the young players who see him going into the team get a boost to think they can do it too. We have five or six players now who have a possibility of making the grade we have sent out on loan. James has made the breakthrough and they feel they can too if they can get games and come back as fit as possible.

"It has been very positive not only for the player himself and for us at first-team level, but for the whole club."