Regis Le Bris shares Ian Poveda injury update after Sunderland win v Sheff Wed
Sunderland boss Regis Le Bris has revealed why winger Ian Poveda missed out on the action when the Mackems defeated Sheffield Wednesday 2-1 on Friday.
The Mackems took the lead on 34 minutes, when Eliezer Mayenda’s effort got the better of Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle, but that moment was not without its controversy, as the Sunderland man appeared to control the ball with his hand before slotting home.
Wednesday levelled proceedings early on in the second half, before Mayenda bagged his and the Black Cats’ second goal of the game to seal a victory on the road for the North East giants.
Le Bris’ men now sit just three points behind third-place Burnley, while their victory at Hillsborough also ensured that their outside chances of automatic promotion remain intact.
But one man who was not named in the matchday squad as the Mackems defeated Wednesday was wideman Poveda, a former Wenesday loanee who has made just six appearances for the Wearsiders since joining last summer.
Sunderland boss Le Bris reveals why Poveda missed out on Wednesday win
The former Leeds man is still yet to make a start for Sunderland since joining the club last summer amid various injury struggles.
Le Bris informed the Northern Echo that Poveda’s absence on Friday was due to a further fitness setback: “Ian suffered an injury in the training session (before the Wednesday match).
“We don’t know yet how serious it is.”
| Ian Poveda stats | Championship 2024/25 |
| Appearances | 6 |
| Starts | 0 |
| Minutes played | 81 |
| Goals | 0 |
| Assists | 0 |
Up next, the Mackems host Cardiff City on Saturday 8 March and the Bluebirds could present themselves as ideal opponents amid their relegation struggles.
Sunderland exit door may already be open for Poveda this summer
Poveda, formerly of Wednesday and Blackpool, joined the Mackems on a three-year-deal from Leeds last summer, while the North East outfit retain the option to extend his stay by a further year.
However, the wideman’s move to the Stadium of Light has been far from a success, courtesy of several injury setbacks which have kept him on the sidelines for vast spells this season.
While the Mackems are chasing promotion to the Premier League, Poveda’s move to the North East has been far from a success, and perhaps it would be no surprise to see Le Bris and co. open the exit door for the 25-year-old come the summer.
His spell with Sunderland has not gone to plan so far, as he has not been able to show the Mackems the sort of talent that earned him a place in the Manchester City youth academy, nor the sort of performances that helped Wednesday retain their Championship status last term.