Thomas Meunier starts for Sunderland at Ipswich Town (Image: SAFC)
Thomas Meunier starts for Sunderland at Ipswich Town (Image: SAFC)
THOMAS MEUNIER will make his full Sunderland debut in this afternoon's Premier League opener at Ipswich Town.
Meunier only played for 45 minutes of the Black Cats' pre-season programme following his arrival as a free agent as he was forced to sit out last weekend's final friendly against Rennes because of a minor injury issue.
That has cleared up though, and the Belgium international will start at right-back at Portman Road, with Luke O'Nien partnering Dan Ballard at centre-half.
Meunier's presence in the back four has enabled Regis Le Bris to push Trai Hume further forward, with the Northern Irishman set to play in an advanced attacking role down the right-hand side.
Nilson Angulo has got the nod to start on the opposite flank, with Enzo Le Fee set to play in the 'number ten' role behind central striker Brian Brobbey.
Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete are back in the squad after recovering from injury, but the pair are only named on the substitutes' bench alongside Habib Diarra and Chris Rigg.
IPSWICH (4-2-3-1): Scherpen; O'Shea, Diop, Greaves, Davis; Nunez, Lukic, Fatawu, Enciso, Maeda; Emersonn.
Subs: Walton, Furlong, Kipre, Egeli, McAteer, Akpom, Humphreys, Outtara, Clarke.
SUNDERLAND (4-2-3-1): Roefs; Meunier, O'Nien, Ballard, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki; Hume, Le Fee, Angulo; Brobbey.
Subs: Ellborg (gk), Talbi, Rigg, Mundle, Alderete, Isidor, Diarra, Mukiele, Jocelin.