Sunderland likely to seek clearance to postpone Newcastle fixture – Exclusive
Former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett believes that Sunderland may have to postpone their upcoming Tyne-Wear Derby with Newcastle.
Sunderland have a handful of games to attend to before it, though many eyes are already on 14 December, when Newcastle travel to the Stadium of Light.
It will be the first league meeting between the two sides since 2016, when a 1-1 draw at St James’ Park ended the Black Cats’ six-game winning run.
Newcastle will be looking for only their second win against the Wearsiders since 2011, though their chances of doing so may be halted by the AFCON situation that Sunderland are set to face.
AFCON agreement mooted as Sunderland face new dilemma
Sunderland will have a whole host of players jet off to AFCON before the competition gets underway on 21 December, though they could be without several key players before that.
Tournament regulations mean that the Black Cats should release their players up to three weeks before AFCON gets underway, and with the Newcastle encounter just one week prior, it would see them miss that game.
Players Sunderland could lose to AFCON
- Noah Sadiki – DR Congo
- Habib Diarra – Senegal
- Reinildo – Mozambique
- Arthur Masuaku – DR Congo
- Chemsdine Talbi – Morocco
- Bertrand Traore – Burkina Faso
- Simon Adingra – Ivory Coast
However, Keith Hackett is hopeful that Sunderland can come to an agreement with the organisers to release their players after the derby; otherwise, they may have to seek a postponement of their highly anticipated clash with Newcastle.
Speaking exclusively to Mackem News, he said: “There is no doubt that teams will be left depleted when their players are selected for AFCON.
“Sunderland will lose seven players, and this will obviously impact the size and strength of their squad.
“It is likely, unless they get special permission from AFCON organisers, that they will have to seek postponement of their fixture against local rivals Newcastle United, a game that will have already been pencilled in to the television schedules.
“I do hope for the sake of the fans in the North East that AFCON will arrange for the players to arrive at the Tournament HQ after the local derby game has taken place.”
Sunderland will have depth for AFCON
Romaine Mundle’s return for Sunderland Under-21s on Thursday night was a timely one, given the fact that the Black Cats are set to lose three of their four wingers to AFCON.
Dennis Cirkin has featured recently, with his return to first-team action expected within the next few weeks.
However, Noah Sadiki’s absence is certainly the one that will be felt the most, though it could present a chance for Lutsharel Geertruida to move into a midfield role.
There are options for Regis Le Bris, though he will not want to lose several of his key players for what many see as the biggest game of the season.
Enjoyed this article? Stay connected with all the latest Sunderland news, updates, and behind-the-scenes content by following us on our new Instagram account –@mackemnews247