Sunderland captain John O'Shea has praised Ricardo Alvarez following his performance during the FA Cup fourth-round replay with Fulham at Craven Cottage on Tuesday.
The Inter Milan loanee was making just his fourth start for the club since joining in September but played a key role in helping the Black Cats come from behind to win 3-1, scoring the second goal himself to cap off an impressive display.
O'Shea was confident that Alvarez had the ability to shine due to his performances in training, and stressed the importance of keeping the winger fit following his injury-plagued start to life in the North-East.
"I was saying to Ricky in the first half and second half, 'Don't worry if there's one or two men on you,'" O'Shea told reporters.
"With his ability, he can ghost past players and I've seen him do it many times in training. That finish, too, had very little back-lift. I don't think the keeper even saw it before it hit the net. Hopefully now we can keep Ricky fit and strong."
Sunderland's victory means that they will face giant-killers Bradford City in the fifth round.
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