Sunderland striker Brian Brobbey is closing in on a return from his hamstring injury, but will miss Thursday's Europa League clash with Lech Poznan. Manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed the Dutch forward should be available for the weekend's Premier League match against Leeds.
Brobbey's Recovery Progress
Brobbey picked up the injury while on international duty with Holland. He was named in the squad for the win over Torreense, only to be surprisingly omitted from the Bournemouth match a few days later amid fears of a setback.
Le Bris said: "Brian is in a good place, he has trained with the squad the last 10 days more or less, so knowing that it was a hamstring injury it’s always important to take care of him and not rush the process, so we are on the way."
The manager added: "He won’t play tomorrow, that’s obvious, but he should be ready for Leeds."
Premier League Struggles
Sunderland sit bottom of the Premier League table after a 2-0 defeat at Bournemouth, a game marked by defensive errors and a red card for Kevin Danso. Three days earlier, they had won 2-1 away to Torreense in the Europa League.
Le Bris acknowledged the poor domestic form: "The results are not good enough in the Premier League and we know how relentless this league is. When you make a few mistakes you get punished really quickly. It was the case once again at Bournemouth."
Following the Bournemouth defeat, defender Nordi Mukiele said "maybe we became arrogant". Tottenham's win over Coventry City 24 hours later dropped Sunderland to the bottom of the table.
Team Response and Other Injuries
Asked about the aftermath of the defeat, Le Bris said: "For sure, because when we lose games we are not happy and it’s always emotional after a game. I think this team has emotions and this team cares a lot as well, so it’s really positive to have reactions and to try to find solutions because we still have a good team."
He added: "So it’s important to understand, it’s important to work together, it’s important to share ideas as well and to be tough with each other, telling the truth when it’s necessary to move forward."
On the injury front, Le Bris said Omar Alderete is fine and there are no new injuries from the Bournemouth game. Thomas Meunier and Wilson Isidor are also "in a good place" and could be ready soon. Sunderland have won both Europa League matches so far, while Poznan have lost both 4-0. The Black Cats face Leeds at the weekend.
