Sunderland will have to face Leeds United without a star player on Friday night after concerning injury update.
Regis Le Bris’ side face another tough challenge at the Stadium of Light on Friday night as they welcome Leeds United.
Sunderland will no doubt be aiming to be top of the Championship by the time the international break starts and take one step closer to Premier League football.
However, in the build-up to the fixture, the Sunderland manager has already confirmed a big blow as Ian Poveda’s injury timeline is confirmed.
Ian Poveda – injury latest
Despite only signing in the summer, Poveda hasn’t had many opportunities to showcase his abilities in a Sunderland shirt.
After joining on a free transfer after Leed United released the winger, the Colombian has only made three appearances for the Black Cats.
This is mainly due to injuries, with Poveda struggling to remain fit throughout his first couple of months at the Stadium of Light.
Poveda had returned to the pitch on Tuesday night after making a comeback from his previous thigh injury. However, the Colombian was forced off 10 minutes after his introduction against Derby with another issue.
Now, in the build-up to Friday night’s game against Leeds, Le Bris has updated fans on how long he expects the winger to be out of action.
He said: ‘We are still waiting for confirmation on the diagnosis but Ian could be out for four to six weeks..’
Read more: Which Sunderland games are on TV this month and how to watch.
Ian Poveda’s injury record is a growing concern
When Poveda signed for Sunderland in the summer, a wealth of optimism came with the transfer.
The winger had spent the latter part of the 2023/24 campaign out on loan to Sheffield Wednesday where he played a crucial role in the Owls avoiding relegation.
Therefore, when Sunderland captured Poveda, it was seen as a bit of a coup. However, due to his injury record, this already has signs of a bad signing.
With Poveda signing a three-year deal, hopefully, he can come back to play a part at some point soon.