Régis Le Bris
Sunderland are keen to recover from their recent FA Cup setback as they prepare to host Brighton at the Stadium of Light in a crucial Premier League encounter. After a surprising exit from the FA Cup at the hands of Port Vale, Sunderland’s head coach, Régis Le Bris, is optimistic about having several senior players back in the squad. The Black Cats face a challenging task against Brighton, who currently sit 14th in the league table and had a weekend off while Sunderland were involved in cup action.
Régis Le Bris said: “It’s important [to manage Granit]. I think the team is better with him but we had three games in a week. It was really important to manage his load. We didn’t take the risk until at the end, because we know that he can change just a bit the dynamic. But for the future of Sunderland, we need Granit in good shape.”
Sunderland’s squad will be significantly strengthened by the return of Trai Hume and Noah Sadiki, who were suspended for the FA Cup match. Hume’s position will depend on the availability of other full-backs, but he has proven effective at left-back in previous matches against Bournemouth and Leeds. Granit Xhaka is also expected to return to the starting lineup after being cautiously managed in recent games due to pitch conditions at Vale Park. His presence is anticipated to enhance Sunderland’s dynamics as they aim for a strong finish to the season.
Further positive developments include Brian Brobbey’s return to running on the Academy of Light pitches, suggesting he could soon participate in full training. Le Bris emphasized the importance of managing Brobbey’s minutes to ensure full recovery from a minor groin issue. Additionally, Reinildo is set to resume running, potentially clearing the way for his return to training, although a starting XI position might be premature following a month-long knee injury absence. Meanwhile, Dennis Cirkin is nearing a comeback from a hamstring injury, adding depth to the squad.
However, Sunderland will be without Bertrand Traoré, who is facing a potential surgery for a knee injury, sidelining him for several weeks. Long-term absentees Romaine Mundle and Jocelin Ta Bi are likely to miss the remainder of the season due to surgeries on hamstring and ankle injuries, respectively.
On the Brighton front, the major concern is winger Kaoru Mitoma, who was forced off with an ankle injury during their recent defeat to Arsenal. Although Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler downplayed the severity of the injury, Mitoma remains a doubt for the Sunderland clash. Additionally, forward Stefanos Tzimas is out for the season with an ACL injury, and defender Adam Webster has yet to feature this season due to a similar issue.
As both teams prepare for Saturday’s fixture, Sunderland will be eager to capitalize on their returning players to secure a crucial victory, while Brighton will hope to manage their injury concerns effectively.
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