Dennis Cirkin concerns curtailed at Sunderland after what happened v Sheff Weds
Dennis Cirkin was named on the bench for Sunderland in their win against the Owls, though that very fact is the reason behind some optimism on Wearside.
Regis Le Bris’ sides secured another crucial three points away to Sheffield Wednesday, widening the gap on the teams below them even further while somewhat staying in touch with the three above them.
Eliezer Mayenda proved to be the match winner and was one of several changes made for the clash as Le Bris opted to rotate his squad in various different areas.
Cirkin was one of those to be rested, and the performance of his replacement has subdued some of the concerns that had emerged at the Stadium of Light.
Leo Hjelde makes first league start
Despite Sunderland enjoying a successful campaign to date, there have been plenty of concerns and worries to have emerged over the season.
One of those has been the lack of depth that Sunderland have in the full-back areas, with injuries to Aji Alese and Niall Huggins.
Leo Hjelde was brought in for the win at Hillsborough and fared reasonably well, subduing some of the concerns of the Mackem faithful.
| Sunderland | Appearances | Starts | Minutes |
| Leo Hjelde | 9 | 1 | 106 |
Via FotMob, the Norwegian completed 100 per cent of his crosses and 73 per cent of his passes. One of which earned him an assist for the opening goal.
Of the five aerial duels he was involved in, 80 per cent of them resulted in him winning the ball, with a 50 per cent success rate in those on the ground.
Hjelde won two of his three attempted tackles in the game, making seven clearances to go alongside it, showcasing that he can contribute when needed.
Cirkin will be the go to choice for left back, though the showing from Hjelde should do enough to subdue some of the concerns when it comes to rotation options in that area.
Le Bris must keep rotating his squad
While there are unlikely to be too many changes made against Cardiff, Le Bris must use his squad to its full capacity, just as he did against Sheffield Wednesday.
While playing your best players is key to success, utilising the strengths of others can be just as important, alongside the prospect of having fresh legs.
With 11 games left, Sunderland just need to keep building momentum and ensure that they do their own job in this promotion race.