Familiar issue returns for ex-Leeds United star as Sunderland manager confirms indefinite injury blow
Leeds United’s Championship promotion rivals have a fresh injury to deal with.
Former Leeds United winger Ian Poveda is set for another lengthy spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury in training, Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed.
Poveda was not in the squad for Sunderland’s 2-1 win at Sheffield Wednesday last weekend, with Le Bris confirming his winger picked up an issue in the final training sessions before their trip to Hillsborough. The Colombian joined the Black Cats as a free agent last summer, following the expiration of his Leeds contract, but fitness issues have regularly halted his debut campaign on Wearside.
A hamstring injury kept Poveda out for three months over Christmas, with a setback in the New Year extending his absence through to February. The 25-year-old has only made six league appearances this season, all of which have come from the bench, with his last minutes at former home Elland Road during Sunderland’s 2-1 defeat last month.
Poveda injury latest
"We will have to wait for him," Le Bris told the Sunderland Echo of Poveda. “I don't know exactly what the timeframe will be for his return to play but it might be three to four weeks, it may take longer. It's frustrating because we know he is talented as a winger, he has the ability to dribble and create something from nothing in short spaces. So far he wasn't available for many reasons."
A month-long absence will give Poveda just a handful of games in which to impact Sunderland’s promotion chances, and that is on the basis he can keep fit until May. It’s been a tough season for the former Leeds man, who had hoped to continue momentum built on loan at Sheffield Wednesday with a move further up the Championship.
Sunderland were also without star January signing Enzo Le Fee at Hillsborough last weekend, with the attacking midfielder suffering a hamstring injury during his side’s 1-0 defeat at home to Hull City. The on-loan AS Roma man was forced off at half-time and followed not long into the second-half by centre-back Dan Ballard, who picked up a similar issue.
Sunderland promotion boost
But Le Bris was able to confirm a boost for his side’s late promotion run-in, with Le Fee expected back after the March international break while Ballard is thought to be around a fortnight behind his on-loan teammate. Poveda’s absence has also been somewhat eased by the return of 18-year-old boyhood Black Cats winger Tommy Watson.
"Tommy should be with us this weekend, yeah,” Le Bris said of the teenager. "So far, Enzo and Dan are on track in their recovery. Enzo should probably be available after the international break more or less, with Dan it will be a little bit longer.”
Le Fee will be hoping he returns to a Sunderland side still fighting for automatic promotion, with last month’s defeat at Leeds and the subsequent home loss against Hull significantly denting their top-two chances. The Black Cats are now 11 points behind the league-leading Whites and eight short of Sheffield United in second, but Le Bris is not resigned to the play-offs by any means.
“Our ambitions are high but we don’t want to get carried away by emotion,” he added. “What I can say is that we will be working very hard right until the very end. Many things can happen. We have 11 games left to play with 33 points, that’s massive.”