View: 83% Aouchiche shows Regis Le Bris what he’s been missing at Sunderland
Adil Aouchiche showcased what Sunderland have been missing out on having registered an assist in the Black Cats’ 1-1 draw with Bristol City on Tuesday night.
The Frenchman has been snubbed by Regis Le Bris for the majority of the season but his short cameo proved crucial as Sunderland secured a 93rd-minute equaliser on 10 December.
His assist for Patrick Roberts’ goal was simple yet effective and demonstrated how he can have a huge influence going forward as the Mackems chase a Premier League return.
Adil Aouchiche must feature more for Sunderland
Tuesday provided Aouchiche with only his third appearance of the season in league competition, all of which have came as late substitute introductions.
His continued snub seems strange given the level of ability he has showcased throughout his time on Wearside and that was on show against Bristol City.
Despite being on the pitch for just 16 minutes, Aouchiche changed the game with a neat passage of play to set up Roberts for his close-range strike that earned the Black Cats a point and maintained their unbeaten home run.
According to FotMob, the Frenchman had 10 touches after coming on, three of which arrived in the opposition penalty area.
His willingness to get into advanced positions can be key going forward and force defenders to be on the back foot, something which Sunderland fail to achieve far too commonly.
Of course, one of those three touches in the box was the assist to Roberts for the goal. It had an xA (expected assists) of 0.12 but his quick thinking and accurate execution is what Sunderland have been missing in the final third.
An 83 per cent pass accuracy was on show at the Stadium of Light for the Frenchman, who also won 50 per cent of his defensive duels, which proved crucial in the dying minutes as the Wearsiders threw everything at getting an equaliser.
Sunderland supporters have maintained a level of realism in their club’s push for promotion, but the potential achievement could have its chances boosted if Aouchiche is utilised more often.
In other Sunderland news, Amy Goddard reacted to her first goal for the club.
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