Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
Sunderland defender Nordi Mukiele (Image: Owen Humphreys/PA Wire)
NORDI MUKIELE will miss Sunderland’s Europa League game with Dinamo Zagreb on Thursday evening because he is still completing the Premier League’s concussion protocols after suffering an injury in last weekend’s draw with Leeds United.
And Habib Diarra has also suffered an injury setback that is currently being assessed and could keep the midfielder out of action for a number of weeks.
Mukiele was forced off in the Leeds game when Luke O’Nien’s flailing arm caught him in the neck. The Frenchman went off after receiving on-field treatment, and it has subsequently emerged that he suffered a concussion incident that meant he could not continue.
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He was also unable to train last week, and having been unavailable for yesterday’s 3-1 defeat at Coventry, he will also miss Thursday’s European home game with Dinamo Zagreb.
“Nordi is in the concussion protocol at the minute, which is why he wasn't available [at Coventry],” confirmed Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris. “So, he won't be available against Dinamo Zagreb this week, but should be available for Chelsea [next Sunday].”
There is a good chance that Diarra will miss both matches after he suffered a muscular injury in training this week.
The midfielder has been plagued by a succession of injury issues in the last couple of seasons, and while the full extent of his latest setback is yet to be confirmed, he is expected to be sidelined for a reasonably lengthy spell.
“With Habib, it's a shame because he got a muscle injury during the training session,” said Le Bris. “We don't know yet the severity of it.”