View: FA Cup provides Abdoullah Ba with a chance to kickstart Sunderland career
Sunderland were drawn against Stoke City in the FA Cup and Abdoullah Ba may be in line for a chance to kickstart his career at the Stadium of Light.
Ba has found himself massively out of favour on Wearside since the arrival of fellow Frenchman Regis Le Bris with the forward often appearing for the Under-21 side.
Despite several squad injuries, Ba is yet to feature for the first team this season and a January exit remains likely.
However, before any exit decision is made, the Frenchman may have one last chance to save his Sunderland career if Le Bris opts to utilise him against Stoke in the FA Cup.
Abdoullah Ba snub is bizarre at Sunderland
Although many would argue the latter, supporters either love or hate Ba and there seem very few people in the middle.
The Frenchman actually had a decent season last time out in terms of numbers but his lack of good decision-making and general frustration in his performances has led to a lot of criticism on Wearside.
He is still a very young player, but one that has showcased his ability in the past to positively influence games.
To see him completely frozen out under Le Bris suggests something far deeper than just performances when taking everything into account.
Patrick Roberts has struggled for form this season and with Ian Poveda injured, Ba would seemingly be second in line for that right-wing position but Le Bris has still refused to utilise him.
The Black Cats are likely to make several changes for their FA Cup tie in January but whether Ba is given a chance remains in question. If not, the stance on his inclusion on Wearside becomes evident.
In other Sunderland news, Don Goodman has praised supporters for their sense of realism.
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