Oxford United v Sunderland: Eight players may now miss Kassam Stadium clash
Sunderland travel to Oxford United in the Championship on Saturday, but Regis Le Bris’ squad has been struck by suspensions and injuries.
While the match against the U’s may mean little for the table, it presents a good chance for the Black Cats to gain some momentum before the playoffs begin.
Le Bris faces a struggling Oxford United side, who are fighting to stay in the division after their promotion last season.
However, Sunderland will go into the game with limited options, with as many as eight of their players suspected to be out for the game.
Sunderland face selection crisis for Oxford United showdown
For Saturday’s match, the Sunderland Echo (24 April) confirmed that Eliezer Mayenda is the most recent casualty after he picked up a concussion in Easter Monday’s defeat against Blackburn.
He joins Niall Huggins, Ahmed Abdullahi and Jayden Danns, who are certain to miss the match.
On top of this, the game will likely come too soon for Dan Ballard, Romaine Mundle, Aji Alese and Ian Poveda, but Le Bris is hopeful that all four stars can return for the playoffs.
| Player name | Expected return |
| Dennis Cirkin | Oxford United |
| Jenson Seelt | Oxford United |
| Eliezer Mayenda | QPR |
| Dan Ballard | QPR |
| Romaine Mundle | Playoff semi-finals |
| Aji Alese | Playoff semi-finals |
| Ian Poveda | Playoff semi-finals |
| Niall Huggins | Next season |
| Ahmed Abdullahi | Next season |
| Jayden Danns | Next season |
However, there is hope that both Dennis Cirkin and Jason Seelt could play against Oxford United after the pair recovered from their injuries. It remains to be seen if Le Bris takes this risk given how close the playoffs are.
Trai Hume is also available for selection again after he served his one-match suspension for his red card against Bristol City.
Regis Le Bris needs to be careful against Oxford United
While it is important that Sunderland return to winning ways against Oxford United, Le Bris cannot take any unnecessary risks.
With the playoffs just around the corner, the manager must be careful who he selects to ensure the club picks up no more injuries.
While Cirkin and Seelt may be fit for selection on Saturday, Le Bris may be wise to avoid picking the duo, especially given the importance of the game for Oxford United.
Hopefully, Sunderland can pick up a result regardless of the current selection crisis and start to build momentum for the playoffs in a few weeks.