Sunderland have been dealt a triple injury blow immediately as their pre-season friendlies have gotten underway.
Sunderland kick-started life under Regis Le Bris Saturday with a pre-season double-header in the North-East.
The first of two games on Saturday took place at South Shields and the Black Cats won comfortably, beating their neighbours 5-0 before heading to Gateshead.
Le Bris named two different XIs on the day. But the second XI couldn’t beat Gateshead who won the game 2-1, with Jack Clarke scoring Sunderland’s goal from the penalty spot.
The result has caused a minor stir on social media with Sunderland fans not knowing what to really expect from Le Bris in the Championship next season, but getting their first glimpse at what he might offer on Saturday.
The Gateshead result aside, Le Bris has been dealt a fresh blow, with three Sunderland players missing the games on Saturday due to injury concerns.
Sunderland dealt triple injury blow
Just about every Sunderland first-team player featured in either the South Shields win or the defeat vs Gateshead.
All except three; Simon Moore, Nectarios Triantis, and Abdoullah Ba, with all three having picked up injuries.
Journalist Matty Hewitt revealed on X that goalkeeper Moore has picked up a knock, with Triantis and Ba set to be sidelined for at least a couple of weeks.
It reignites what has been a common theme of injuries since their return to the Championship in 2022.
Thankfully, though, injuries to the trio don’t seem overly-severe. But Le Bris will surely be frustrated that none of them got a run out during Saturday’s double-header.
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Kristjaan Speakman can cure Sunderland injury woes by doing one thing
Why Sunderland pick up so many injuries, and so consistently, remains to be seen.
Whether it’s issues with the training pitches or whether the club needs a better medical department is unclear.
But Sunderland and sporting director Kristjaan Speakman should count on players picking up injuries next season and provide Le Bris with enough depth to ensure that injuries don’t make or break their season.
Whilst injuries to Moore, Triantis, and Ba are manageable, one injury to the likes of Clarke, should he stay next season, could really impact on results in the Championship, as it did last time round.
Speakman needs to ensure Le Bris has strength in depth going into the new season, with Sunderland’s injury list already beginning to mount.