Regis Le Bris can turn to 16-year-old youth prodigy amid Sunderland struggles
Sunderland’s form has dropped as of late, and much of it is down to the lack of attacking threat posed in games.
Sunderland sealed their spot in the playoffs weeks ago with a 0-0 draw against Norwich City, and their performances as of late have showcased that.
The Black Cats have lacked any real intensity in their performance, with the latest defeat to Swansea City serving as a showcase of that.
In that time period, Wilson Isidor has struggled massively, failing to score in any of his last nine Championship encounters, and with little left to play for, Le Bris could hand a debut to one of Sunderland’s highest-rated talents.
Marcus Neill is making a name for himself at Sunderland
Sunderland’s Academy has provided the goods for the first team throughout the last few years, with the likes of Dan Neil, Anthony Patterson, and Chris Rigg just three of the names to have made the step up.
Harrison Jones was the latest to make his full debut for the club, and Le Bris may look to replicate that milestone with 16-year-old Marcus Neill, who recently scored his 11th goal of the season at youth level.
| Isidor | Goal contributions |
| Last nine games | 0 goals, 1 assist |
| Previous 30 games | 12 goals, 1 assist |
The talented teenager scored a hat-trick against his former club Liverpool at the weekend, in a massive 6-1 victory over the Reds, and has impressed throughout the season at Sunderland.
If Isidor fails to get on the scoresheet when Sunderland travel to Bristol City at the weekend, Neill may provide Le Bris with an option.
Sunderland have room for experiment
Given the fact that they have nothing left to play for ahead of the final four games of the season, Le Bris has some wiggle room when it comes to selecting his starting 11.
Form is often important to take into the playoffs, but as many have pointed out, the most recent team to have found success via the playoffs did so on the back of three defeats in their final four games.
Many will make the argument that having a fully fit squad is more important, and to achieve that, Le Bris can try different things and players, potentially unearthing a gem in the process.