Sunderland’s next opponents Aston Villa could be without £33m midfielder Youri Tielemans after his injury blow
Emery confirmed that Youri Tielemans picked up an injury during Villa’s goalless draw with Everton at Hill Dickinson Stadium. The Belgian international started alongside Lamare Bogarde in midfield but was forced off at half-time, replaced by Evann Guessand.
When pressed on the severity of the issue, Emery offered little detail but stressed the importance of his squad’s depth. “Yes,” he replied when asked if Tielemans had suffered an injury. “Hopefully, we can recover Kamara and Onana – Barkley too. But today, Lamare Bogarde helped us a lot. He did a fantastic job and I’m happy for him. Lindelöf also played as a midfielder for 10 minutes. That’s the commitment we need.”
Villa remain without a win in the Premier League this season, and Tielemans’ setback comes as another blow ahead of Sunday’s trip to Wearside. Tielemans, 27, began his career at Anderlecht, making 185 appearances and scoring 35 goals while winning two league titles.
After a spell at Monaco, he joined Leicester City in 2019, initially on loan and then permanently for an estimated £33million fee. He went on to make nearly 200 appearances for the Foxes and scored the decisive goal in the 2021 FA Cup final. Since joining Villa in 2023, he has become a key figure under Emery. Tielemans has also won more than 60 caps for Belgium, featuring at two World Cups and two European Championships.
Le Bris provides injury update after game
Le Bris has provided an update on Enzo Le Fée’s condition following the Black Cats’ goalless draw at Crystal Palace. The midfielder was a surprise absentee from the matchday squad at Selhurst Park, with Le Bris confirming before kick-off that he had picked up a “small injury” during Friday’s preparations.
His absence meant Simon Adingra was drafted into the starting XI, while Wilson Isidor also replaced Eliezer Mayenda in the only other change from the side that beat Brentford last time out. Speaking after the final whistle in South London, Le Bris admitted he was still unsure over a specific timeline for Le Fée’s return but stressed that the issue is not thought to be serious.
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“I don't know exactly what would be the time to rest. It doesn't seem too serious, but we'll see,” he said. “He's an important player for us because we can combine the winger position with a number 10’s ability, and I think to generate a bit more unpredictability in our game. It should have been really interesting to play with him, but it wasn’t an option today. It isn’t too bad.”
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