Régis Le Bris
Sunderland’s injury concerns intensified during their recent defeat to Brighton, with Dan Ballard being forced off in the second half due to a hamstring injury. Head coach Régis Le Bris expressed hope that the injury was not severe, but acknowledged the mounting injury list as the team prepares for the upcoming Tyne-Wear derby. The club had already been dealing with the absence of Enzo Le Fee and Nilson Angulo, with Angulo expected to be sidelined for at least a month.
Régis Le Bris said: “It wasn’t possible [to bring Wilson on] because he got an injury. We were really on the edge. We were cautious. We could have pushed him, but it was risky. Rather than taking risks, it was the case for Brian as well. Brian can go all the way, but because we pushed until the end rather than keeping 65-70 minutes because it was the load expected, we can lose another player. At the minute, we are struggling a bit. We are just on the edge, but we try our best to keep the team safe. We expect Enzo to be ready for Newcastle, it might be possible. For Nilson, we’ll have to wait at least four to six weeks. Reinildo will train with us tomorrow, so that’s good news.”
Sunderland remains hopeful that Nordi Mukiele and Robin Roefs will be fit to return for the derby, though Le Bris acknowledged the risk involved in rushing players back from injury.
Régis Le Bris said: “Nordi is getting better, we’ll see for next week. It’s always the same: you can take the risk, he might play against Newcastle, but if we lose him for eight weeks after, it doesn’t make sense. We are always on the edge so we’ll try to manage the situation properly.”
Le Bris attributed the club’s extensive injury list to the challenges of operating with a small squad, particularly during the AFCON period. He highlighted the difficulty of breaking the cycle of injuries, as players are often pushed to return earlier than ideal.
Régis Le Bris said: “We had a really strong period, we played with a short group during the AFCON. Then probably we went into a vicious cycle. It’s hard to break this cycle because you push players who were injured a bit earlier than expected. Then you can be just on the limit for an injury. We are in this cycle right now, so we just stay together, try to manage the situation, try to learn, keep good resilience.”
Despite the defeat, Le Bris found positives in Sunderland’s performance against Brighton, noting that small margins had gone against them. He praised his team’s intentions and resilience, despite struggling to create chances late in the game.
Régis Le Bris said: “Key moments [made the difference] First of all, I think it was a good Premier League game against a strong opponent, well-established in the Premier League, with a clear identity. We had good intentions to manage the way they built up the play. Struggled a bit, probably for 20 minutes, because they created one or two chances. After that, the lads kept going with the same intentions. I think the final part of the first half was good. We were dominant. We didn’t score, but I think it was a good part of our game.”
Sunderland’s young squad, new to the Premier League, has shown character and resilience, according to Le Bris. As they aim to overcome their injury crisis, the focus remains on supporting the players and providing them with valuable experience.
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