Premiership rules forbid loan players from playing against their own club in the league, but in the League Cup it's up to that club. If he had been at Arsenal, the League Cup games are the only ones Hoyte would have been guaranteed to start in.

See Sunderland Today for quotes from Hoyte. He's enjoying his time in the North East, and benefitting from regular first team football. He was, apparently, particularly impressive in Sunderland's first win of the season against Middlesbrough at the weekend. Hoyte has made 17 appearances for Arsenal, including covering in central defence as well as in his normal right back position. He looked pretty good too, and if he does well at Sunderland then it's not impossible that he'll become one the few English youngsters to break through into our first team on his return.