Sunderland winger closing in on return after injury with Villa Park squad involvement possible and Nottingham Forest comeback targeted
Nilson Angulo is closing in on a return from injury, with reports from Ecuador suggesting the Sunderland winger is now in the final stages of his recovery.
According to outlets in his homeland, the 22-year-old is nearing a return to training and could even be included in the travelling squad for Sunday’s Premier League clash against Aston Villa. However, while Sunderland are hopeful of having him involved, it is considered unlikely he will be fit enough to feature at Villa Park.
Instead, a comeback in the home fixture against Nottingham Forest on April 24 is viewed as the more realistic scenario. Angulo was pictured back in training at the Academy of Light last week, underlining the progress he has made after a frustrating spell on the sidelines.
The winger has been absent since sustaining a muscle injury in the build-up to Sunderland’s 1-0 defeat to Brighton & Hove Albion on March 14. Head coach Régis Le Bris had initially suggested a recovery period of between four and six weeks, and Angulo subsequently missed a number of key fixtures, including the Tyne-Wear derby win at Newcastle United. The Sunderland boss is expected to be asked about Angulo’s availability during his next press conference before the Aston Villa game.
Angulo’s recovery also impacted his involvement at international level. Angulo had been named in Ecuador’s provisional squad for recent friendlies against Morocco and the Netherlands, but ultimately withdrew in order to continue his rehabilitation on Wearside. Ecuador head coach Sebastián Beccacece confirmed the decision during the international break, explaining that Angulo would leave the camp early to focus on his recovery. The Sunderland forward returned to England alongside midfielder Patrik Mercado, with Beccacece describing both absences as significant for his squad.
From Sunderland’s perspective, though, that decision now appears to be paying off, with Angulo edging closer to full fitness at a crucial stage of the campaign. The Ecuador international arrived at the Stadium of Light from Anderlecht in January for a fee understood to be around £17.5million, having impressed in Belgium with seven goals and eight assists in 30 appearances.
He has made five Premier League appearances so far, three of them starts, but is yet to register a goal or assist in English football. Across 264 minutes, he has recorded an expected goals figure of 0.50 and expected assists of 0.08, highlighting flashes of promise despite limited output. Sunderland remain confident that his direct running and attacking threat can still play a role in the final weeks of the season.
Le Bris’ side head into the weekend sitting 10th in the Premier League table, just two points behind sixth-placed Chelsea, and firmly in contention for European qualification. With six games remaining, Sunderland face a challenging run-in, starting with the trip to Aston Villa before fixtures against Nottingham Forest, Wolves, Manchester United, Everton and Chelsea. Angulo’s return would offer an additional option in wide areas during that run, even if his immediate involvement is likely to be limited as he builds back to full fitness.
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