Sunderland ace Luke O’Nien missed the midweek game against Bristol City through illness. On Thursday, Regis Le Bris shared the latest on the fan favourite.
Luke O’Nien has been an unlikely hero for Sunderland this season, having featured in 19 of his side’s 20 Championship games so far this season.
The 30-year-old, who remains under contract at the Stadium of Light until the summer of 2026, missed his first game of the season last time out, sitting out Sunderland’s 1-1 draw against Bristol City through illness.
Since Dan Ballard’s return to injury, Regis Le Bris has had a defensive selection headache with Ballard, O’Nien, and the impressive Chris Mepham to pick from.
Mepham and Ballard partnered in the middle last time out. But many Sunderland fans think O’Nien keeps his spot in the side when all centre-backs are fit, which may mean that one of Ballard or Mepham drops to the bench at Swansea City.
That’s assuming Le Bris can revert to his usual full-back selections of Dennis Cirkin and Trai Hume, and also that O’Nien is fit enough to start.
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Regis Le Bris says Luke O’Nien is ‘probably’ OK for Swansea City clash
Details of O’Nien’s absence against Bristol City remain quite vague, with the Englishman simply struggling with illness.
What kind of illness it is remains to be seen. But it seems as though O’Nien is quickly recovering with Le Bris suggesting that he’ll be in the squad against Swansea City this weekend.
Asked if O’Nien is fit enough to return on Saturday, Le Bris said during his Thursday presser: “Yes, probably.”
O’Nien is now in his seventh season with Sunderland and has already racked up a staggering 284 total appearances for the Black Cats, meaning he’s likely to make his 300th this season.
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Ex-Sunderland boss says Luke O’Nien is a ‘joy to work with’
Certainly during Sunderland’s four years in League One, O’Nien was a player who often received very mixed reviews.
But in the last year especially, he’s really gotten to grips with the Championship and with his centre-back role too.
He’s become an indispensable player in the side with journalist James Copley naming O’Nien as Sunderland’s Player of the Season so far, earlier on in the campaign.
Also this season, Tony Mowbray spoke about the playing squad at Sunderland. When naming the players who were a ‘joy to work with’, O’Nien was the first that came to mind.
The former Black Cats boss said: “It was a blow [leaving Sunderland] because I was enjoying it so much. I have to say, that group of players is a joy to work with.
“The O’Niens of this world. The Trai Humes. The [Anthony] Pattersons. The [Patrick] Roberts. The [Jack] Clarkes, as it was at the time. The Dan Neils. They’re brilliant lads.”
Sunderland against Swansea kicks off at 3pm on Saturday afternoon.