Sunderland face Newcastle United in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon.
The Swede arrived at the Stadium of Light during the January transfer window, and following a period of deputising for de facto number one Robin Roefs, was thrown into the starting XI after the Dutchman sustained a hamstring injury during last month’s 1-1 draw with Bournemouth.
Ellborg then made his Black Cats debut in a 1-0 victory over Leeds United at Elland Road, and has remained between the sticks ever since. With Roefs facing a “late assessment” to determine whether he is fit enough to feature in Sunday’s visit to St. James’ Park, however, there is a chance that the 22-year-old could be in line for his biggest outing to date - and if he is to play, Le Bris has insisted that he is more than satisfied with the progress the young stopper has made in recent weeks.
What has Regis Le Bris said about Sunderland goalkeeper Melker Ellborg?
Speaking in a pre-match press conference on Friday afternoon, Le Bris was asked whether he and his staff had coaxed Ellborg through any additional training to deal with Newcastle’s aggressive and fast-paced press, to which he responded: “We did it before Bournemouth and Leeds. I think this week and the week after were really important. Melker learned a lot from those experiences.
“He's really committed. He wants to learn every day. It's the case for the players, but sometimes you have someone who shows something a bit different, and it's the case for Melker. I'm sure that the more he will get experiences, the better he will become with the ball. He doesn't have the same level of experience as Robin, because Robin has been playing with us for six months. For Melker, it's just a few games, but he's doing well.”
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Le Bris was also asked whether the Swede had endured something of a baptism of fire during his first months in England, to which he replied: “Yes, Leeds, it was quick. It was not a shock, but it was intense. I really appreciated his game, the way he prepared it, the way he managed the feedback after. He's really demanding with himself, and I like it. He's a good example for the group as well.”
An appearance in the derby would cap a memorable week for Ellborg, who received his first senior call-up for the Swedish national team on Wednesday. Graham Potter’s side are facing a pivotal international break, with World Cup qualification on the line, and will begin their bid for a spot in North America this summer with a play-off semi-final against Ukraine on March 26th.
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