Regis Le Bris must make crucial Alan Browne call ahead of Sunderland v Coventry
Sunderland are 90 minutes away from a playoff final at Wembley ahead of their playoff second leg against Coventry.
Off the back of their impressive 2-1 victory away to Coventry, the Black Cats are in pole position to secure their spot in the final, where it seems as though Sheffield United will await them.
Goals from Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda have given Sunderland the advantage at the halfway point in the tie, but there is still a remarkable amount of work to do to get over the line.
With that in mind, Le Bris must mitigate the risk of losing that advantage, and Browne’s inclusion may give him the perfect chance to do that.
Patrick Roberts must be dropped v Coventry
It has been a frustrating season for Patrick Roberts, and his performance against Coventry last time out followed a similar trend.
Roberts was ineffective offensively, though he will receive a lot of credit for the work he did defensively as Sunderland ended their 40-year winless run against the Sky Blues away from home.
| Sunderland | Games | Goals | Assists |
| Roberts | 45 | 2 | 7 |
Sunderland cannot afford to sit back and defend a one-goal advantage, but there is no harm in adding a little bit of extra defensive solidity to help manage the game, and swapping Browne for Roberts would do just that.
With Romaine Mundle also fit, Le Bris has another decision to make on his inclusion, and it is imperative that any made are the right ones, with plenty on the line.
Sunderland must turn up against Coventry
The Wearsiders’ display at the CBS Arena was an effective one, but with the second leg at home, they need to show a little more desire on the ball.
Dan Ballard was the pick of the bunch for MOTM on Friday, showcasing just how much of a defensive performance it was.
The Black Cats need to start Tuesday’s game on the front foot and take the game to Frank Lampard’s side.