Régis Le Bris suggests Nordi Mukiele and Robin Roefs return as Sunderland prepare for Tottenham Hotspur clash
Sunderland host Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday in the Premier League at the Stadium of Light in a fixture that carries very different stakes for both sides.
Sunderland, sitting comfortably on 43 points in 11th, are safe from relegation and even within touching distance of the European places. Tottenham, meanwhile, are battling at the wrong end of the table, just one point above the drop zone.
With seven games remaining, momentum is key and, for Sunderland, recent results have helped steady the ship after a difficult spell with injuries.
Positive signs in Sunderland injury picture
Nordi Mukiele has been absent from the last four Premier League matches after suffering a calf injury in the win at Fulham in February. The defender returned to the bench for the recent derby victory over Newcastle United but did not feature.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Robin Roefs has missed the last three league outings with a hamstring issue.
However, the recent international break, combined with a weekend without FA Cup involvement, appears to have given Régis Le Bris’ squad valuable recovery time, and there are strong indications that both players could now be back in contention.
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While Dan Ballard and Nilson Angulo remain out, Le Bris appears to have no fresh injury concerns.
“Apart from the long-term injuries, Ballard and Nilson are close to returning but this game will come too soon. The rest of the group is available,” he said in Friday’s press conference.
Notably, neither Mukiele nor Roefs were mentioned among those unavailable, suggesting both could be ready to return to the matchday squad.
Le Bris also reflected on the importance of Sunderland’s recent derby win over Newcastle, highlighting the character shown by his players during a challenging period.
“It was a massive win. A season is never linear and it’s defined by key moments. Two derbies and the win at Leeds were key moments, especially with many injuries for last two. The team showed character and resilience when it was needed.”
With key players potentially returning and confidence boosted by recent results, Sunderland will be looking to continue their push up the table, while piling more pressure on a struggling Spurs side.