Sunderland star Dennis Cirkin missed the draw against Millwall this weekend, and now, Regis Le Bris has cleared up how long he will be on the sidelines.
While a point away at The Den is not a bad result, Sunderland will have been disappointed to throw away all three points with Millwall securing a draw in the dying moments of the game.
Regis Le Bris has told his team they need to start being more clinical and ruthless when they are leading a game, and they’ll certainly need to be at their best to get something against a West Bromwich Albion side who are sitting inside the top six.
But, fans are desperate to know whether Dennis Cirkin will be involved after the Sunderland star underwent surgery on his wrist late last week.
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Dennis Cirkin surgery a success, but no return this week
Regis Le Bris was talking to the press today (via the Sunderland YouTube channel) and was immediately asked for a progress report on Cirkin and whether the full-back will be ready for the game against West Brom.
He said: “Probably not tomorrow. We have to see how he feels when he trains, so we have to wait a little bit.”
Then, when asked how the surgery went, Le Bris added: “Yeah, he had no problems [with his surgery].”
So, while that’s good news in the long-term, it seems Le Bris will have to find a solution at left-back for the visit of West Brom, and that’s where Sunderland’s squad depth will come into play.
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Aji Alese proved his worth at left-back vs Millwall
Luckily, with a number of players missing against Millwall, Le Bris was able to test a few of his fringe players, and it’s safe to say they passed that test with flying colours for the most part.
In particular, Aji Alese filled in at left-back in Cirkin’s absence and can clearly be relied upon whenever Le Bris needs him this season.
| Statistic | Aji Alese vs Millwall |
|---|---|
| Minutes played | 90 |
| Clearances | 10 |
| Interceptions | 3 |
| Tackles | 1 |
| Duels won | 44.4% |
Cirkin is one of Sunderland’s top performers this season, and will always be missed. But, there is no harm in mixing up the squad and getting minutes in the tank for as many players as possible as the Black Cats look to sustain their title challenge this season.
Le Bris has spoken about the challenges of the Championship and how his team need to be adaptable and versatile, and having this level of strength in depth will only serve that end.