This is the Sunderland confirmed lineup for their Championship clash with Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on February 28.
The Black Cats are looking to get their promotion push back on track following two defeats. Head Coach Regis Le Bris has had some decisions to make following injuries to both Enzo Le Fee and Dan Ballard last weekend, plus whether to keep faith in his out of form goalkeeper Anthony Patterson and rest youngster Chris Rigg.
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Sunderland Confirmed Lineup vs Sheffield Wednesday in Championship Clash
Regis Le Fee on Chance to Rotate
In the build up to the game at Hillsborough, head coach Regis Le Bris said: “It’s important to manage the squad for sure, to finish the league with good momentum. We have had many injuries, sometimes suspensions, so it wasn’t always possible [to rotate]. Now we have this opportunity a bit more because we are closer to a full squad. We will see.
“In a long season like this, this stage is like ‘the wall’ in the marathon and it is tough for everyone. We have to manage it properly and we know it’s normal to have fatigue, but at the same time it creates the condition to manage the squad and to involve the players in the recovery process.”
Notable Changes and Inclusions
January signing Enzo Le Fee, who has been in impressive form since arriving on Wearside, is expected to be out for around four to six weeks. Defender Dan Ballard will also be missing for around six to eight weeks. In comes the experienced defender Chris Mepham for Ballard and winger Romain Mundle takes over from Enzo Le Fee.
Denis Cirkin, Chris Rigg and Wilson Isidor are rested and are replaced by Leo Hjelde, Alan Brown and Eliezer Mayenda.
Calls for Anthony Patterson to be dropped has had no impact on head coach Regis Le Fee as he has kept faith in his number one. Regarding Patterson, Le Bris said: “He’s been really good this season, he’s been really good. When a striker or goalkeeper makes a mistake like that, the consequences are always different. But Anthony has been a very good goalkeeper for the team so far this season and is still a good goalkeeper.
He can make mistakes and he has to learn from these experiences and find the best way to finish the season. We have to be tough. We have to be connected with our mission. The mistake is a mistake. When a midfielder makes a mistake like that, the consequences are not the same. For a goalkeeper and a striker, I repeat, it’s always different.”
Sunderland Team News
Anthony Patterson, despite being at fault during the past two games, has kept his place. Chris Mepham plays alongside Luke O’Nien who plays his 300th game for the club. Dan Neil, Jobe Bellingham and Alan Browne make up the midfield. Patrick Roberts and Romain Mundle are the wingers with Eliezer Mayenda up front
Sunderland Confirmed Lineup: Patterson, Hume, Hjelde, O’Nien, Mepham, Neil, Jobe, Brown, Mundle, Roberts, Mayenda
Substitutes: Moore, Cirkin, Aleksic, Rigg, Seelt, Ogunsuyi, Isidor, Jones, Samed
Sheffield Wednesday Team News
Beadle, Valentin, Ihiekwe, M. Lowe, Hatsuse, S. Charles, Ingelsson, Paterson, Bannan (c), Gassama, Windass
SUBS: P. Charles, Palmer, Iorfa, Johnson, Chalobah, Kobacki, Cissoko, J. Lowe, Ugbo
