Dangerous Sunderland AFC winger can deliver Le Bris promotion on one condition - View | OneFootball

Patrick Roberts has been exceptional since joining the Black Cats in January 2022.

Sunderland have provided the Championship with excellent attacking, quick football so far this season, and their wingers have been a key asset to Regis Le Bris.

The Black Cats have been the surprise package in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign, and their form in the first six games has taken them into the top two of the table.

A lot of plaudits have been handed out to the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and, most surprisingly, Eliezer Mayenda. However, the performances of Patrick Roberts off the right-wing have been crucial to Sunderland's potential promotion challenge.

The 27-year-old has been excellent since joining from Manchester City in January 2022, and the security of a permanent deal in the north-east has seen him develop into one of the most dangerous wingers in the division.

Le Bris must hope that Roberts stays fit

If Roberts continues to perform, then it will only be beneficial to those at the Stadium of Light, but there will be fears of any fitness issues.

The second half of the 2023/24 season saw the winger struggle with injuries, and he struggled to pick up any momentum as Sunderland finished 16th in the table.

But, this year has been a completely different story for Roberts, who has already added a goal and two assists to his total in just six matches, bettering his record from the last campaign.

Nevertheless, there will be fears over his fitness, particularly due to the inconsistency he seemed to have last season. He missed four matches at the start of 2024 due to a calf problem, before missing another six just three games after his return with a thigh injury.

He returned to the bench against Cardiff City. However, he failed to come onto the pitch, and instead had to wait until the Black Cats faced Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light to get back on the pitch.

If Le Bris can keep Roberts away from the treatment room, then Sunderland will be in a fantastic position to carry on their push for promotion. Otherwise, there could be a new issue for the French manager to contend with in the coming months.

Roberts has finally started to prove his potential

Now 27, many possibly thought that the winger could have reached the pinnacle of the game after impressing greatly in his youth.

He joined Manchester City from Fulham in July 2015 for £11 million, but it was a move that just led to loan after loan.

Roberts played just three times for the current Premier League champions, before securing his permanent deal at Sunderland nearly three years ago.

He has finally started to show the reasons why he was signed by City nine years ago, and it did not take him long to settle in. In his first full season, he scored five times and picked up seven assists as the Black Cats made it to the play-offs on their return to the Championship.

Although his injuries scuppered him last time out, he has proven at the start of 2024/25 that he can fire his team to the Premier League and be a key player in the coming years for Sunderland. His fitness will be the only thing that holds him and maybe the club back.