Brian Brobbey has not suffered an injury setback despite being left out of Sunderland's squad for the trip to Bournemouth at the weekend.
That is the message from boss Regis Le Bris, who named a surprise starting XI in the 2-0 defeat at the Vitality Stadium on Sunday.
Instead, the Frenchman says he was being cautious with Brobbey but expects his first-choice striker to be back in Sunderland action either on Thursday against Lech Poznan in the Europa League or on Sunday against Leeds United when they return to Premier League duty.
Brobbey's recent absence
Brobbey was named on the bench in Leiria on Thursday after returning to training following a hamstring injury picked up on international duty. However, he wasn't even named in the matchday squad at Bournemouth as Sunderland fell to a 2-0 defeat.
“We decided to not rush the process,” the Sunderland boss told reporters afterwards. “He [Brobbey] is in a good place. He has trained with the squad all week now, but after a hamstring injury it is still important to stay cautious.
“We have delayed the game time a little bit, but probably next week we will see him if everything is going right.”
Striker options and upcoming fixtures
With Brobbey being handled carefully, and fellow striker Wilson Isidor also out injured, it was left to raw youngster Timur Tutierov to lead the line at Bournemouth on a difficult afternoon for Sunderland and the 21-year-old.
Le Bris now has to decide how to juggle his resources for Thursday’s Europa League game in Poland and next weekend’s league game with Leeds, which has assumed greater significance given Sunderland’s position in the Premier League’s relegation zone. The Black Cats could go into the game bottom of the table if Tottenham Hotspur pick up a point against Coventry City tonight.
The head coach, however, insists the Black Cats squad is strong enough and fit enough to cope with the extra games that Europa League participation brings.
“We still have many young players, so they can repeat and play again,” he said. “That shouldn’t be a problem, and this is the level we want to play at.
“Fatigue, for me, is not an issue or an excuse, you just have to get used to repeating performances three days, then three days, then three days. Obviously, we will manage the squad to make sure the players are fit for both fixtures [Lech Poznan and Leeds].”
