Sunderland have been ordered to make significant injury reinforcements ahead of their Premier League showdowns with Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, according to reports.
Sunderland return to the top of the league and chase Europe after a dream season
Sunderland shouldn’t have been here.
A newly promoted club in their first Premier League season in nearly a decade, Regis Le Bris’ side go into their final six games with a realistic claim to European football.
Nordi Mukiele’s 1-0 win over Tottenham on Sunday moved the Black Cats to within one point of seventh-placed Brentford and just six points clear of the top five.
Three wins from four have created real momentum at the Stadium of Light, and with Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Everton all in warm-up games, plus tricky assignments at Villa and Man Utd, this fixture is manageable enough to keep them in the hunt.
Next up is Sunday’s visit to Villa, which will test the depth of a squad that was severely disrupted by injuries in the final week of the season.
Sunderland ready for £20m transfer after shocking discount offer emerges
The Black Cats are looking to strengthen their front line this summer.
Nilsson Angulo has been conspicuously absent since mid-March and his return has been one of the hottest stories on Wearside.
Sunderland give Nilsson Angulo a boost ahead of Villa and Forest
Currently, Ecuadorian media outlet Futbol Ecuador reports that the winger is in the final stages of recovery and is close to making a comeback.
Club staff have revealed that Angulo is nearing the end of his rehabilitation and could be included in the squad for Sunday’s trip to Villa.
However, the paper warns that it is too early to confirm that he will return to the pitch this weekend, with a more realistic target being a home match against Nottingham Forest on April 24.
Angulo, 22, joined from Anderlecht in February for around £17.5m and had been named as a mainstay for the second half of the season.
The Ecuadorian winger scored seven goals and provided eight assists for Anderlecht in Jupiler Pro League football before his move, and quickly established himself as an option for Sunderland to build on on the left.
His injury came at the worst possible time. Le Bris suffered a muscle strain in training a few days before the 1-0 loss to Brighton on March 14th, which put him out of action immediately, and Le Bris’ prognosis was set at four to six weeks.
The international break that followed further complicated the situation.
Ecuador initially included him in their squad for friendlies against Morocco and the Netherlands despite the injury, but this decision drew criticism in his home country.
National team coach Sebastian Beccasese quickly resolved the situation and confirmed that Angulo would return to Sunderland to continue his treatment. He is said to be an undoubted starter for his country if he is available.
Images of the player returning to the Academy of Light turf were released last week, raising hopes that he could still play a role in the run-in.
Le Bris could get by without him – with Chris Rigg covering on the right and Kemsudine Talbi coming in on the left – but the extra quality Angulo provides out wide will be a key asset as the games become increasingly important.
Le Bliss appears to be creating a second Jack Clarke at Sunderland
Regis Le Bris deserves a huge amount of credit for how he has transformed Sunderland and certain young stars.
