'I'm no left winger... - Luke's pride at making Premier League debut

Sunderland stalwart Luke O'Nien has delivered an emotional assessment of his long-awaited Premier League debut against Liverpool on Wednesday.

- by James Copley

The 31-year-old came off the bench as a makeshift left winger in the latter stages of the 1-1 draw at Anfield.

For O'Nien, the cameo made for the latest milestone in a remarkable ascension through the footballing pyramid and, following his injury in last season's Championship playoff final, represented the popular defender's first senior outing of the campaign for a side who he has ably served since the doldrums of their League One stint.

He said: "I just got off FaceTime with my wife and my sister, so a little bit emotional just seeing them, and my wife said my kids are up and they were jumping up and down when I came on. So yeah, listen, it's very special. I just said to the boys, I couldn't be prouder of the group we have.

"We've been with Dan Neil and Patto [Anthony Patterson], and the journey this club's been on and then seeing just the quality that have come in, but not just the quality, the human beings and the way they've gone about climbing this Premier League table has been special and to be a part of it, to come this far, this incredible club with the fanbase, I think for the first time in my Sunderland career, I'm lost for words."