Neil captained the [Black Cats](http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/sport/football/sunderland?ref=au) to promotion last season but has been limited to two very late substitute appearances from the bench in the first two-and-a-half months of the Premier League campaign.
Summer signings Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra have all established themselves as major players in Le Bris' in-form side, and Neil has even been overlooked after Diarra suffered a serious groin injury at the end of September, with Chris Rigg and Enzo Le Fee getting the nod.
But Sunderland are set to lose both Sadiki and Diarra next month.
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Sadiki will be part of the DR Congo squad for the African Cup of Nations, which starts on December 21, while Diarra is expected to be fit in time to link-up with the Senegal squad.
And that will present Neil and other fringe figures in the early stages of the season with the opportunity they been waiting for.
"Yeah, sure, they aware of the situation," Le Bris confirmed.
"It's an opportunity for them. At the minute, those players don't have the opportunity but they will have a clear opportunity in that minute. They just need to work hard and be ready for that."
Le Bris has been hugely impressed by Neil's attitude and the way he's responded to losing his place in the side, those admits he'll be only be able to see whether he's ready for the Premier League when the 23-year-old gets his chance.
"It's hard to say because when you don't play you don't know the output exactly, but his behaviour is perfect so I'm confident," said the head coach.
The added layer of complication to Neil's current Sunderland situation is the fact his contract is due to expire at the end of the season. Le Bris said there was no update on that front.
Luke O'Nien and Anthony Patterson, who, like Neil, have lost their place in the Sunderland side this season both featured for the Under-21s in the Premier League International Cup this week.
Le Bris revealed Neil would have been likely to feature but suffered mild concussion in training.
Eliezer Mayenda and Brian Brobbey both played for the Under-21s in the game against Anderlecht, with Brobbey getting on the scoresheet in the 2-2 draw.
Le Bris said: "It was a shared decision on who played. When you get minutes in an opportunity like that it's really positive.
"You can train every day but you don't play a full game. It was a good opportunity and they did well."