Sunderland have received a big injury boost regarding a “really sharp” player ahead of their Championship clash with Norwich City this weekend.
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The Black Cats are back in action on Saturday afternoon, welcoming the Canaries to the Stadium of Light for an important clash near the top of the table.
Regis Le Bris’ side sit fourth in the Championship heading into the weekend action, still only five points adrift of current leaders Sheffield United, thanks in part to their impressive 3-2 win away to Swansea City last time around.
Sunderland’s form has dipped a little in recent weeks, having topped the table earlier in the campaign, so it’s now a case of staying in the mix and not allowing some injury problems to derail them.
The Black Cats have had to make do without various influential players throughout the campaign, while Jobe Bellingham also served a suspension after his red card against Queens Park Rangers, but a positive update regarding one player has now emerged.
Sunderland receive injury boost
Speaking ahead of the visit of Norwich on Saturday [via The Sunderland Echo], Le Bris confirmed that Sunderland attacker Ian Poveda is fit enough to play a part in matches again, having overcome a longstanding injury issue:
“Sometimes you just need time to find the connection with the project and club. Ian is now in a really good place. He’s not ready to play a full game but can be a sub and help us in short spells in games.”
This is great news for Sunderland, with Poveda’s time at the club not gaining any momentum at all yet, having completed a permanent transfer to the Stadium of Light during the summer transfer window.
The 24-year-old is yet to start in the Championship this season, making just three appearances totalling 44 minutes, but the hope is that he is now ready to kick on. This is a player who excelled for Leeds in a Premier League clash with Manchester City back in 2020, with Danny Mills saying of him:
“I thought he was superb when he came on. He looked really sharp, full of energy and kept the ball really well. He cause a lot of problems for Mendy in the second-half and I think that is why Pep Guardiola decided to make the change.”
Admittedly, it doesn’t feel like Poveda is going to play a huge role for Sunderland for the time being, with Le Bris easing him back into the fold rather than giving him too many minutes, but having him as a strong option is a huge boost.
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At 24, this is now an important point in Poveda’s career, with the winger having a sporadic time of things, being loaned out to Sheffield Wednesday from Leeds last season, for example.
He now needs to kick on and become a genuinely influential figure for Sunderland, playing a positive role in getting them back into the Premier League.