Sunderland are facing mounting injury concerns after key players Brian Brobbey and Dan Ballard suffered hamstring problems during the international break. Both players have returned to the club for further assessment after picking up injuries while on international duty.
Brobbey and Ballard injuries
Brobbey was hurt during the Netherlands' 1-1 draw with Germany, while Ballard sustained his injury in Northern Ireland's 1-0 victory over Georgia. The players will be scanned to discover how severe the injuries are.
Manager Regis Le Bris is expected to provide an update on Thursday ahead of the Brighton clash.
Fixture congestion criticism
Former PSV doctor Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband hit out at the fixture congestion, saying Brobbey's injury was due to overload.
"If you look at Brobbey, he has a very serious hamstring injury. That’s a typical example of overuse," Van den Hoogenband explained. "The Premier League is already so tough with two matches a week, and then they throw in a Nations League period like this with four matches in two weeks. Incomprehensible."
Other injury updates
"Habib is in the middle of his recovery," Le Bris said about another injured player, Habib Diarra, who is nearing a return from his own hamstring problem. While Noah Sadiki and Wilson Isidor were also causes for concern, both players appear to be fine at this stage.
Romaine Mundle remains sidelined with a knee injury until January, but Diarra could return for the Brighton match on October 10. The Black Cats will be hoping their remaining international players come through unscathed as they prepare for their upcoming fixtures.
