Shocking news: Regis le Bris now announce that dan neils has been suspended for……….
Regis Le Bris is looking forward to the competition for defensive spots after Dan Ballard made an unexpected but much-needed return to fitness over the weekend.
Ballard, who was one of Sunderland’s standout players last season and secured a new contract amid interest from top-tier clubs, wasn’t expected to return from a pre-season injury until this weekend at the earliest. However, he was fit enough to make the bench for Sunderland’s match against Burnley at the Stadium of Light and came on in the closing stages to help secure the result after Dan Neil was sent off.
Ballard then successfully completed a scheduled 45-minute appearance in Sunderland U21s’ 3-2 victory over Middlesbrough on Monday night, putting him in the mix for a spot in the upcoming match against Portsmouth. However, Aji Alese has been in excellent form since stepping in to cover for Ballard at the center of defense, with Sunderland yet to concede a goal in three Championship matches.
This situation presents Le Bris with a challenging decision in the coming weeks, but it’s one he’s pleased to face.
“As I said last week with Chris [Rigg] and Alan [Browne], it’s a very good problem for me and for the team. If we have strong competition for different positions, the players will push themselves and each other. When one player is unavailable, another can step in, and the overall level of the team remains high. This is really good news for us.”
A more pressing concern for Le Bris is Dan Neil’s one-game suspension, as the deeper midfield role is one of the few positions in the squad with limited depth. However, the head coach remains calm about the situation, confident in finding a solution for the trip to Fratton Park.
“We will find one, we will find one for sure,” Le Bris assured.
Alan Browne is expected to return to the side and take on the deeper role, though Pierre Ekwah is also a potential option.
