Regis Le Bris will be delighted with what Granit Xhaka’s done away from Sunderland
Granit Xhaka will be the name on everyone’s lips at Sunderland this season.
With the international break slowly coming to an end, Sunderland will be starting to gear up for their trip to Crystal Palace this Saturday.
Trai Hume has already impressed for Northern Ireland, while the likes of Reinildo, Noah Sadiki and Habib Diarra were also in action.
As was Xhaka in Switzerland’s 3-0 win over Slovenia on Monday night, and Le Bris will be delighted with what the veteran midfielder did.
Granit Xhaka runs the show for Switzerland vs Slovenia
Xhaka has already hit the ground running at Sunderland, and Le Bris will have been hoping that he could continue that form throughout the international break.
He certainly has, and he played a crucial role in his country’s triumph over Slovenia this week.
Via Fotmob, Xhaka recorded a 91 per cent pass completion rate from 88 attempted passes, and to put this into perspective, he only registered 93 touches all game.
It showcases his ability to move the ball quickly, which has been influential in Sunderland’s bright start to the season.
- 11 passes into the final third
- 2 interceptions
- 1 chance created
- 2 defensive recoveries
Six of his seven attempted long passes reached their desired target, with 50 per cent of his shots also on target.
Despite often sitting deep, Xhaka created one chance and won 67 per cent of his aerial duels against Slovenia.
Le Bris will be delighted to see him return to Wearside not only unscathed but also still in hot form.
Regis Le Bris needs his squad at full capacity for Crystal Palace test
Sunderland are the underdogs for Saturday’s encounter with Crystal Palace, though that often suits the way they play.
If a result is to be achieved, the Black Cats need to be at the top of their game, and the experienced head of Xhaka will play a crucial role in that.
A win for Sunderland could theoretically see them move back to the top of the Premier League this weekend, though it would rely on those above them dropping points.
With Liverpool playing Burnley, that one seems unlikely.
Sign up for the Mackem News WhatsApp channel and turn on notifications to have all the latest, breaking Sunderland AFC news sent straight to your phone.