Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris admits the youngster, who made his debut in the reverse Millwall fixture back in November, will get his chance to shine during the run-in.
Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland side are preparing to face Millwall on Saturday afternoon as they resume their Championship calendar at the Stadium of Light.
It promises to be an explosive affair, as ‘villain’ former Sunderland boss Alex Neil makes another return to Wearside, with his mid-table Lions side still an outside shot for a play-off place.
Sunderland are firmly cemented amidst the top-six and with their play-off fate seeming inevitable, Saturday’s clash is an imperative opportunity to build some positive momentum ahead of the play-offs.
| Position | Team | Played MP | Won W | Drawn D | Lost L | For GF | Against GA | Diff GD | Points Pts |
| 1 |  LeedsLeeds | 38 | 23 | 11 | 4 | 76 | 25 | 51 | 80 |
| 2 |  Sheff UtdSheffield Utd | 38 | 25 | 7 | 6 | 53 | 28 | 25 | 80 |
| 3 |  BurnleyBurnley | 38 | 21 | 15 | 2 | 52 | 11 | 41 | 78 |
| 4 |  SunderlandSunderland | 38 | 19 | 12 | 7 | 55 | 37 | 18 | 69 |
| 5 |  CoventryCoventry | 38 | 17 | 8 | 13 | 55 | 48 | 7 | 59 |
| 6 |  West BromWest Brom | 38 | 13 | 18 | 7 | 48 | 34 | 14 | 57 |
The Black Cats are suffering with a long injury list, and during the final eight fixtures Le Bris will be forced to rotate his side, with one forgotten Sunderland youngster primed for an opportunity to shine – and remedy his unfortunate Black Cats debut he made against Saturday’s opponents back in the November reverse fixture.
Regis Le Bris will give ‘talented’ Milan Aleksic chance during run-in
Deadline day signing Milan Aleksic has had limited opportunities to showcase why Sunderland shelled out a reported £3.1million fee to Radnicki 1923 for the Serbian last summer.
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder made his debut in the reverse fixture at Millwall last November, with Le Bris introducing the ‘talented’ Aleksic for his debut as a substitute in the 58th minute as the Black Cats led 1-0 at The Den.
Aleksic missed a guilt-edged opportunity to score in injury time at Millwall, with Wilson Isidor’s through met with a tame effort from Aleksic, which was followed in the immediate passage of play as seconds later Sunderland conceded the eventual equaliser.
Le Bris told his pre-Millwall press conference when asked about Aleksic: “He struggled for probably the last couple of months because he didn’t have many opportunities to play, he was a little bit disconnected and I think it’s a normal dynamic for a young player, especially abroad.
“He still has good qualities, and in the final sprint he will have the opportunity to play and it’s up to him as well to stay connected and to show his resilience.”
Milan Aleksic has a bright future for Sunderland, but it’s ‘up to him’
Aleksic featured twice for Serbia Under-21s during the international break, earning some vital minutes given Aleksic has only made four Championship appearances for Sunderland so far this term, and has this season shown glimpses of real promise.
| Key statistics | Milan Aleksic in all competitions for Sunderland this season |
| Games played | 5 |
| Goals | 1 |
| Assists | 0 |
Months on from the Millwall draw, Aleksic did score in the FA Cup defeat against Stoke City with a tidy finish and has been previously hailed by Serbian national boss Dragan Stojkovic, who told Mozzart Sport: “He has phenomenal control of the ball, vision and passing. He deserves to be given a chance, to be in the company of the best.”
Le Bris has insisted he has had to wait for the right opportunity to play Aleksic, and the youngster could’ve made the decisive difference against Millwall back in November had he been granted more minutes prior to that clash.
If Aleksic gets the ‘opportunity’ Le Bris has promised this weekend, it would be a fitting way for to atone for Aleksic’s Sunderland debut miss with a positive cameo against Millwall and stake his claim for more minutes.
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The Serbian’s true quality and potential has yet to be seen by the Black Cats faithful, with the Sunderland fans hoping to see Aleksic used more. Witness Aleksic’s creative spark more consistently throughout the pivotal play-off run-in would be an exciting prospect.