How bad was Garnacho for Chelsea against Sunderland?
Régis Le Bris has been handed a Sunderland injury boost with Dennis Cirkin and Romaine Mundle back in training
Sunderland head coach Régis Le Bris has been handed a timely injury boost after Dennis Cirkin and Romaine Mundle were both spotted taking part in first-team training ahead of Monday night’s Premier League meeting with Everton.
The pair were seen in the club’s latest YouTube training video at the Academy of Light, marking a positive step in their respective recoveries – though it remains unlikely either will be fit in time to feature against the Toffees. Mundle, 22, has endured a difficult spell since suffering a recurrence of a hamstring injury during the club’s pre-season trip to Portugal. Having worked tirelessly to return for Sunderland’s Championship play-off run last season, the winger was forced to undergo surgery over the summer but is now closing in on a full return.
Le Bris recently revealed that the former Tottenham Hotspur youngster is “very close” to rejoining full training and could be back in contention shortly after the November international break. Posting on Instagram, Mundle reflected on his recovery, writing: “Been a year full of highs and lows, but we thank God for blessing me to see another year.”
The Sunderland boss confirmed that specialists have now cleared Mundle to step up his rehab, with the club’s medical staff taking a careful approach to ensure there are no further setbacks. “Any player wants to be in the squad, and the injury in Portugal was really disappointing for him because he worked really hard in the summer to be at his best level,” Le Bris said. “He is really close now. He had his last appointment with the specialist about his injury, and he was given the green light. So he should be connected with the squad within a couple of weeks.
“It's really important [to be careful] and avoid a reinjury, but this is what the surgery was designed for. Conservative treatment was an option, but because he had a second injury, the staff decided it was the best option to go for surgery. The feedback from that surgery was really positive, so he should be stronger. So now it is just a question of confidence, and he will need maybe two weeks to be 100%.”
As for Cirkin, the left-back has also endured a frustrating few months. After dealing with a wrist injury sustained around May’s play-off final, the defender has since been sidelined with a knee issue that has delayed his rehabilitation. “For Dennis, we have to wait a bit,” Le Bris said last month. “He didn't heal completely after his wrist injury, and he had an issue with his knee as well. So he needs to rest a bit.”
While neither player is expected to feature against Everton, Le Bris confirmed that both Omar Alderete and Simon Adingra are closing in on returns. The pair missed Sunderland’s 2–1 win over Chelsea but are expected to be available for selection on Monday night at the Stadium of Light.
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“Simon had a hamstring injury, but he should be ok,” Le Bris said. “We still have a doubt about Omar because he is still in the concussion protocol, but he should be ok tomorrow and then the day after. He is getting better. He trained with the squad this morning, normally, so he is underway.”
Sunderland go into the Everton clash looking to make it three consecutive Premier League wins, having beaten Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers in recent weeks to climb into the top half of the table.
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