Le Bris issues Sunderland injury update ahead of Fulham clash | OneFootball

Regis Le Bris confirmed Granit Xhaka will be available for Sunderland’s Premier League match at the Stadium of Light against Fulham, but left-back Reinildo will be sidelined for up to four weeks.

11th-place Sunderland need just four points to reach their 40-point target this season, and face Marco Silva’s Fulham, a side who have endured three successive Premier League defeats.

The Black Cats have received a major boost ahead of the clash on Sunday afternoon, with Granit Xhaka successfully recovering from an ankle injury. The club’s captain missed five matches across all competitions during his spell on the sidelines.

Le Bris said, “Granit has more or less trained fully this week, so he is available for selection.

“It’s better to play with Granit than without. More options for the starting eleven and the bench. I think the team is stronger, so for Granit, we’ll have to be progressive to respect the process, and it’s good because now we have three or four midfielders available.”

Despite the positive news for the Sunderland faithful, Le Bris made an unexpected revelation that Reinildo Mandava has picked up a knee injury.

“During the game at home against Liverpool, he felt something in his knee.

“He won’t be available for at least three or four weeks, so potentially after Brighton, in time for Newcastle, potentially.”

The 32-year-old, who signed from Atletico Madrid on a free in the summer, held out for the entire 90 minutes in the narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.

He will now be a key absentee for The Black Cats, given that fellow left-back Arthur Masuaku joined Lens on loan in January for the remainder of the season.

Sunderland will have to resort to playing a defender out of their natural position if Le Bris elects not to call upon the services of Dennis Cirkin.

The Sunderland manager offered a more hopeful update on Bertrand Traore’s fitness, saying that “next week he will rejoin the group and might be available soon.”

The winger has not played in a match for Sunderland since the derby day victory over Newcastle United in December, due to suffering a knee injury at the African Cup of Nations.

Meanwhile, Le Bris dispelled any doubts about Omar Alderete’s fitness by confirming the centre-back will be available for selection on Sunday against Fulham.

Alderete was withdrawn in the 80th minute against Liverpool with an alleged injury and was out of the matchday squad for the 1-0 FA Cup victory over Oxford United.