AliousSunderland head coach Régis Le Bris has announced that defender Dan Ballard will be unavailable for the team’s busy festive fixture schedule due to a muscle injury.
Ballard, who was substituted late in Sunderland’s 2-1 victory over Norwich City, has been ruled out of the Boxing Day clash against Blackburn Rovers at Ewood Park.
While the injury is not considered serious, the 25-year-old will be sidelined for several games during this critical period.
“He won’t be available on Thursday,” Le Bris confirmed, officially ruling out Ballard for the Blackburn match.
The Sunderland boss also provided some reassurance by stating that there are no additional injury concerns in the squad.
This update opens the door for Trai Hume to return to the starting lineup, with Luke O’Nien expected to move into a more central role to fill the void left by Ballard’s absence.
Le Bris also hinted that Ian Poveda might feature for the first time since recovering from his own injury.
Poveda was included on the bench over the weekend and could play a part in the coming fixtures as Sunderland navigates this demanding period of games.
Although Ballard’s absence is a setback, Sunderland will look to adjust their lineup effectively as they aim to maintain their momentum during the hectic holiday schedule.
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