Arthur Masuaku hit by yet another blow amid ‘insane’ scenes away from Sunderland
Arthur Masuaku was bailed out by Sunderland teammate Noah Sadiki in the DR Congo’s victory over Nigeria on Sunday.
The left-back featured in DR Congo’s penalty shootout win after getting past Cameroon in World Cup qualifiers a few days prior.
DR Congo will now advance to the inter‑confederation play‑offs for a chance to win a spot at the 2026 World Cup, but that’s no thanks to the Sunderland defender.
Masuaku has failed to impress in big Premier League games so far, and is steadily sliding down Regis Le Bris‘s pecking order.
However, Masuaku hasn’t boosted his chances of playing after another poor individual performance away from the Stadium of Light.
Arthur Masuaku gave a goal away for DR Congo
Masuaku has started twice for the Mackems in the Premier League this season and has been hooked before the hour mark on both occasions.
Le Bris has been hailed for his impact at Sunderland, so there’s no doubt he’s made the right calls when Masuaku has been withdrawn.
- Masuaku played 120 minutes for DR Congo vs Nigeria
- He was at fault for one serious error
- Masuaku has only made three Premier League appearances for Sunderland
During DR Congo’s crucial clash against Nigeria, the Sunderland defender attempted a backheel clearance out of his box, only for the ball to fall straight to Frank Onyeka.
The Brentford man capitalised on Masuaku’s blunder by scoring a deflected strike to give Nigeria the lead.
Thankfully, his nation was able to fight back from being a goal behind, as Masuaku owes a lot of credit to Sadiki.
- Read more: Stuart Dallas reacts to ‘huge’ Dan Ballard development that’ll actually benefit Sunderland
Masuaku is falling behind the pecking order at Sunderland
Sadiki was praised for his performance against Nigeria, as the Sunderland midfielder scored in the penalty shootout for DR Congo.
The match was labelled as “insane” by journalist Rahman Osman, with Masuaku’s performance only adding to the drama.
Dennis Cirkin is nearing a Sunderland return, and Reinildo is clearly preferred by Le Bris over Masuaku.
Sunderland may now look to offload Masuaku in the January transfer window, with game time looking a problem for the left-back.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Sunderland news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account –@mackemnews247