A rested Jobe Bellingham can 'impact the game with energy,' says Michael Beale

Michael Beale says Jobe Bellingham was definitely due a rest, but his impact against Plymouth shows how important a player he still is within the Sunderland squad.

Jobe has featured in every league game for Sunderland this season other than Millwall away, where he was an unused substitute.

He was dropped to the bench last week for the visit of the Pilgrims, coming on for the last half hour and scoring his fifth goal of his first full season in senior football.

It was all vindication for fans who had been calling on Jobe to be rested for weeks, but Beale said it just wasn’t possible when he was first appointed head coach.

“There's been a need for him to play,” Beale said about Jobe. “When I first came in, it was a crazy ten days where we probably only trained three times, even then in adverse weather and the same players had to play the games at that stage.

“We came out of that four games in ten days in a good place because we were in the play-off places because that was what we had to do.

“This week we feel we've had a slightly stronger squad and we could give him a break. The plan was, could he come on with 30 minutes and really impact the game with lots of energy?

“Not just him, him and Chris Rigg really came on and pinned their two midfielders back which freed up Dan Neil, who had a particularly eye catching second-half didn't he?

It was certainly Jobe’s biggest impact in a game for some time, and he looked like he had an extra spring in his step.

Beale also felt, though, that the goal was an important moment for him, especially after some missed chances of late.

“I think the goal changes everyone's perception as well, because if you take the goal away Jobe has just come on and had a positive impact in the game.

“The fact he came on and scored, it was a nice personal moment for him as well. He's had some near misses of late and even if you go back to West Brom which was disallowed goal, I think it can play on your mind."

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