Sunderland’s Injury Woes: Regis Le Bris Shares Mixed News Ahead of Sheffield Wednesday Clash Regis Le Bris has provided an update on Sunderland’s injury situation ahead of their crucial game against Sheffield Wednesday. Speaking to the press, the Black Cats boss acknowledged recent struggles on and off the pitch but offered a glimmer of hope regarding key player recoveries. Sunderland has endured a difficult spell, suffering back-to-back defeats for the first time this season, which has cast doubt on their automatic promotion hopes. However, with the unpredictable nature of football, a strong performance on Friday night could help them regain momentum. Le Bris Updates on Le Fee, Ballard, and Watson Coming into this fixture, it was widely expected that both Enzo Le Fee and Dan Ballard would be sidelined for six to eight weeks due to their respective injuries. However, Le Bris shared some unexpectedly positive news, suggesting that Le Fee’s recovery timeline might be slightly shorter than initially feared. “It will probably be a bit less for Enzo, maybe four to six weeks, and probably six to eight for Ballard… It is a significant blow, yes. Everyone else is okay for tomorrow’s game, though,” Le Bris stated in his press conference (via Sunderland’s YouTube channel). Unfortunately, the news wasn’t as encouraging for Tommy Watson. Despite making progress in his recovery, he remains unavailable for the upcoming match. “For Tommy, he was in the session this morning, a full session, it’s positive for next week, but he won’t be available for Sheffield Wednesday. Ahmed Abdullahi, too, is still struggling with his previous issues, it’s not bad, but he’s not available.” Sunderland’s Squad Depth Issues Exposed A major concern for Sunderland this season has been squad depth. While Le Bris has faced criticism for overworking key players—especially with suggestions that Le Fee’s injury was inevitable and that Chris Rigg needs rest—the reality is that Sunderland’s options have been severely limited. An analysis of player minutes this season highlights the impact of injuries on squad rotation. Several key players have missed significant game time: This lack of depth has forced Le Bris to rely heavily on a core group of players, with ten squad members already exceeding 2,000 minutes this season. While he has preferred to stick with trusted personnel, this approach has taken its toll. Alternative options like Leo Hjelde, Milan Aleksic, and young talent Trey Ogunsuyi could have been utilized more frequently to alleviate the burden on first-team regulars. The long-term effects of over-reliance on a small group of players are now becoming evident, with injuries piling up at a critical stage of the season. With promotion hopes still within reach, Sunderland will need to manage their squad carefully in the coming weeks. Whether Le Bris adapts his approach remains to be seen, but Friday’s match against Sheffield Wednesday could be a pivotal moment in their campaign.