Sunderland are back in Premier League action when they face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium
Régis Le Bris has named an unchanged Sunderland side to face Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium of the afternoon.
There are two new faces in the Black Cats squad, however, with Melker Ellborg and Nilson Angulo both named on the bench. Le Bris has kept faith with the same system and personnel that produced an excellent win over Burnley on Monday night, with Trai Hume set to reprise his hybrid role on the right flank.
Deadline-day addition Angulo could make his debut from the club from the bench, despite only arriving on Wearside on Thursday night. The Ecuador international has been playing regularly in the Belgian league this season and so Le Bris has no concerns over his match fitness.
Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, Ballard, Alderete, Reinildo; Hume, Sadiki, Diarra, Le Fee, Talbi; Brobbey
Subs: Ellborg, Angulo, Geertruida, Mayenda, Isidor, Cirkin, Rigg, O’Nien, Mundle
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As widely expected, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard are both absent from the Arsenal squad due to injury.
Régis Le Bris on what Nilson Angulo will bring to Sunderland
“I think he is a strong, powerful tall winger with strong physical ability,” Le Bris said.
“He has this South American style of play as well, with the ability to be creative. He likes the one-v-one situations, he has this character.
Defensively he is good and it was a point during our conversation in the video call, he played even as a left wing-back with Anderlecht, which shows that he has the physical attribute to combine both.Because for a winger, sometimes it's the case, if they have to defend more, and it's the case in the Premier League, no choices, they can lose their energy to attack. So the balance has to be combined, both phases have to be combined, and I think for him it's the case. He already showed that he's able to defend alone on the sidelines, because of the staff, and he still keeps his ability to be efficient offensively.
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