One surprise Sunderland player has been named in an EFL Team of the Week.
The Black Cats find themselves in a very comfortable position in the Championship, having won three of their previous four games.
A recent victory against Norwich City puts them in 4th place, six points ahead of Blackburn Rovers in 5th, which saw Sunderland have to come through a goal down at the break.
Sunderland centre-back Dan Ballard got Regis Le Bris’ side back on level terms, while Jobe Bellingham completed the turnaround in the dying embers after finishing from a tight angle from inside the box.
Despite the goal scorers making the difference, there has been a surprise inclusion into one EFL experts’ Team of the Week, which doesn’t include Bellingham nor Ballard.
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Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin named in EFL expert’s Team of the Week after Norwich showing
Sunderland defender Dennis Cirkin has been on top form for the Black Cats this season, making a significant difference down the left flank.
In the win against Norwich City, he somewhat went under the radar with his performance being overshadowed by fellow defender Dan Ballard.
Despite this, EFL expert Gabriel Sutton still noticed Cirkin’s performance at full-back, to which he has named him in his Team of the Week.
The Irish full-back notched the assist for Bellingham’s winner and helped keep Norwich City out in the second half.
Dennis Cirkin trend in the 2024/25 season shows just how crucial he is to Regis Le Bris
There is no hiding the fact that Cirkin is an indispensable part of the current Sunderland side, and for a full-back, he has a crucial impact on the team.
This is abruptly clear when looking at Sunderland’s record with and without the Irishman. The Black Cats full-back has only been absent on three occasions this season, which he sat out from due to an injury, and in those games they average 0.66 points per game, a stark contrast to the average of 2.15 points per game when he is playing.
Cirkin has already bagged two goals in the 2024/25 Championship season, as well as two assists, alongside helping his side to nine assists. There is no denying his impact, and when a player has the capabilities to change the game from full-back, you know that they are one to build the team around.