Sunderland have injury concern to “impressive” 24/ y/o alongside Ballard
Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed that an “impressive” player has picked up an injury, having missed the defeat to Plymouth Argyle.
Sunderland suffer shock defeat
The Black Cats turned up for their Championship clash with Plymouth on Saturday full of confidence, having won all four of their opening games in the competition this season. For that reason, they were resounding favourites to pick up another victory, but things didn’t pan out that way.
A Patrick Roberts penalty in the first half gave Sunderland the lead, suggesting that three more points were coming their way, but Le Bris’ men found themselves 2-1 down relatively late on.
Just when it looked as though Romaine Mundle had snatched a point for the visitors, they conceded in stoppage time, sending the travelling fans home miserable. It was a disappointing afternoon for anyone of a Sunderland persuasion, with the defeat acting as a reality check in the Championship promotion battle, but they still look like one of the leading contenders to be in the mix come the end of the season, and are still top of the table.
Le Bris confirms Sunderland injury
Speaking after the loss to Plymouth, Le Bris confirmed that Ian Poveda missed the game through injury, with a thigh problem keeping him sidelined, acting as a concern alongside star centre-back Dan Ballard, who limped off and was on crutches and in a brace after the Home Park loss: “He felt a small discomfort on his thigh so he was not available, but we think that it is not serious”, said Le Bris on Poveda.
Poveda’s absence on Saturday wasn’t ideal for Sunderland, given the attacking quality he possesses, potentially being a difference-maker with his unpredictability in the final third. The 24-year-old has only featured for 17 minutes of action for the Black Cats after joining from Leeds United on a permanent basis in the summer transfer window, but he is a talented footballer who Leeds United manager Daniel Farke once said of:
“Ian came back with a smile on his face, lots of confidence because he had good performances on this level. He was also quite impressive during this training week. I like what he’s showing so far.”
As Le Bris alludes to, it doesn’t look as though Poveda’s injury is serious, so the hope is that he is back in the fold as soon as possible, and he is going to be an exciting player to watch in the coming months.
Granted, the two-cap Colombia international has had a nomadic career to date, spending time at Blackburn Rovers, Blackpool and Sheffield Wednesday, all on loan, but the hope is that he can now settle at Sunderland and be an important squad player for Le Bris.