Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has no doubts about the value of loan experience for Connor Wickham.

Wickham has fired his club out of the dropzone.

Poyet admitted: "The manager always has a few favourite players but the rest pick themselves. I don't think anyone in this football club is going to ask why Connor is playing instead of them. We want him to be player of the month.

"For a few months other players were ahead of Connor because of me and my decisions, not because of the qualities of Connor. But you need to check and re-check your decisions.

"He was ready, but maybe if he hadn't gone out on loan, if the chance had come along he might not have been in a good way."