Leeds United's Championship promotion rivals handed double injury boost as 3-month Sunderland absentees return
The pair will likely be available when Leeds United host Sunderland at Elland Road later this month.
Sunderland have been boosted by the return of experienced midfielder Alan Browne for their Championship promotion run-in, manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed.
The Black Cats are currently three places and eight points behind league leaders Leeds United, although that gap can be cut to five points if they beat Watford this weekend. Neither Le Bris’ side nor their weekend visitors have FA Cup commitments and so meet on Saturday lunchtime, as Daniel Farke’s side host Millwall in the cup.
A six-game unbeaten run has kept Sunderland within touching distance of the automatic promotion places, with Championship experience becoming more important as each week plays out. 29-year-old Alan Browne was signed over the summer to bring exactly that but has been out with a broken leg since November, although he looks set to return for the season’s most crucial period.
Sunderland injury boost
“Alan Browne is now back in full training and is available,” Le Bris told the Sunderland Echo. “We hope to have Romaine Mundle back on the grass by the end of this week, and Tommy Watson will hopefully be next week.”
Sunderland have also been without the attacking threat of Romaine Mundle in recent weeks, with the 21-year-old picking up a hamstring injury during the same game Browne broke his leg. His return to training will be another major boost but Le Bris won’t be rushing for a return, particularly given January signing Enzo Le Fee is doing so well in his place.
"We have a good left winger now!” Le Bris said of Le Fee. “So it's very important to manage the situation with Romaine properly. We would rather Romaine for thirteen, fourteen games fully than have him for two, three games and then he gets a new injury. So we'll manage the next sessions with him and build him a careful pathway back to the team.”
Possible Leeds return for Mundle
With a return against Watford virtually impossible and their next game against Luton Town coming in the week, it could be that Mundle is reintroduced to the squad for Sunderland’s huge trip to Leeds a week on Monday. That clash could have potentially huge ramifications on the Championship promotion race and comes a week before Daniel Farke’s side then face Sheffield United.
One player Sunderland aren’t likely to have available at Elland Road is January signing Jayden Danns. The 19-year-old joined on loan from Liverpool on deadline day but medical tests flagged a back injury.
Sunderland decided to sanction Danns’ six-month loan move to the Stadium of Light regardless, with hope they can welcome him to Wearside with plenty of games remaining. But for now, the teenager will undergo rehabilitation at parent club Liverpool with no clarity over when a possible debut could come.
"We don't know at the moment with Jayden,” Black Cats boss Le Bris added. “We probably have to take it week by week. He's still a very young player and it's fair to say that we have to protect this player. So we will work with Liverpool to find the right moment to bring him into the side."