AliousSunderland are set to take on Swansea City at the Stadium of Light this Saturday, and with their place in the Championship play-offs already locked in following a stalemate against Norwich City, head coach Regis Le Bris appears poised to shuffle his squad.
After a taxing campaign, some key players are in need of a breather. The clash with Norwich once again exposed fatigue in the side, with several first-team regulars clearly running on empty. One of the main talking points among fans has been the dip in form of club captain Dan Neil, whose recent performances have drawn criticism. With momentum toward the play-offs still a priority, Le Bris is unlikely to overhaul the entire squad, but giving Neil a well-earned rest now looks inevitable.
Luke O’Nien, another consistent figure this season, could also be rotated to preserve energy for the crucial games ahead. However, widespread changes are unlikely, given the manager’s desire to maintain rhythm heading into the play-offs.
On the injury front, Sunderland continue to be without a number of key players. Niall Huggins, Aji Alese, Jayden Danns, Salis Abdul Samed, and Ian Poveda are all sidelined. There is hope that Jenson Seelt, Dan Ballard, and Dennis Cirkin, who missed the trip to Norwich, could return soon, though Le Bris is unlikely to rush anyone back with play-off football guaranteed.
Jobe Bellingham, who was absent from the midweek fixture, may make his return this weekend. The midfielder’s issue was not deemed serious, and if fit, he could be slotted straight back into the starting eleven. His reintegration could be crucial to giving others, like Neil, time to recover.
Le Bris might also dip into the youth ranks again, as he did in the previous fixture. Harrison Jones, who has a couple of Championship outings under his belt, could be handed a starting role. Injuries have limited the head coach’s options, so Jones may be the only academy talent to start from the outset.
Rotation is still expected across various positions, with attacking players like Patrick Roberts, Enzo Le Fée, and Wilson Isidor—all of whom came off the bench midweek—potentially stepping into the starting lineup.
Predicted Sunderland XI vs Swansea City:
– GK Anthony Patterson
– DEF:Trai Hume, Luke O’Nien, Chris Mepham, Callum Styles
– MID: Harrison Jones, Jobe Bellingham, Enzo Le Fée, Chris Rigg
– FW: Patrick Roberts, Wilson Isidor
With a top-six finish secured, all eyes are now on keeping legs fresh and form sharp, and Le Bris is balancing both with a calculated reshuffle against Swansea.
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