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Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris during the Emirates FA Cup fifth round match at Vale Park, Stoke on Trent. Picture date: Sunday March 8, 2026. (Photo by Nick Potts/PA Images via Getty Images) | PA Images via Getty Images
The lads will have a big point to prove after last weekend’s shambolic display at Port Vale, and with injury concerns subsiding there should be a bit more to pick from for Regis Le Bris today. While it’s unlikely we’ll see Roefs, Reinildo or Mukiele today, Brian Brobbey and Dennis Cirkin are fit again, and provide Le Bris with a couple of options. Here’s how I think we’ll line up today.
Goalkeeper: Melker Ellborg
Ellborg was fortunate to stay on the field last weekend, and we’ll need to see him really step up on his home debut. He’s done OK in the past two games, but looks very raw – which is to be expected. A good performance today will do wonders for him.
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Defence: Trai Hume, Dan Ballard, Omar Alderete, Dennis Cirkin
Bit of a tricky one to predict here. Hume’s back from suspension, so will come straight back into the defence – the question is where, and then who’s the fourth member of the defence. In terms of personnel, it’s a straight shootout between O’Nien, Geertruida and Cirkin, and as it’s a home game I think we’ll want as much attacking threat as possible, which for me means full backs on their correct sides – so I’m predicting Hume on the right, and Cirkin on the left. After last weekend’s display I don’t feel that’s hard on O’Nien or Geertruida, neither of whom impressed at Vale Park.
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Midfield: Granit Xhaka, Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki
Le Bris talked up Xhaka’s fitness this week, so I expect the captain to come back into the team again, with Sadiki also returning. The two were greatly missed at Port Vale, and we rely on them a lot. Alongside them in the centre I think we’ll see Diarra – althought Le Fee could well play centrally. Diarra’s not in great form but hopefully we’ll see more from him in the run in, and he needs to play centrally, and get in a bit of form, to set him up for next season.
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Forwards: Nilson Angulo, Brian Brobbey, Enzo Le Fee
Brobbey is fit again and will come back into the team – the reality is neither Isidor or Mayenda are close to challenging him for a place at present, so it’s a fairly simple one if he’s fit. I expect Le Fee to come out onto the left – making a left footed full back behind him even more essential – and I think Angulo will play from the right. I like the look of Angulo, and he need a game where he gets a bit more of the ball going forwards, rather than having to defend for the majority.
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