Tommy Watson backed to seal Sunderland return on loan after ‘brainless’ incident
Tommy Watson has endured a turbulent time at Sunderland since sealing his permanent move to Brighton & Hove Albion.
At the start of April, it was announced that the 19-year-old will be joining the Seagulls at the end of the season for £10million.
The winger has started the Black Cats’ last two outings against Bristol City and Blackburn Rovers and has been in the headlines regarding what happened in both encounters.
Marco Gabbiadini blasts fans over incidents
Regis Le Bris had a decision to make after the announcement that Watson was to leave the club, and the Frenchman took the pragmatic approach of including him in his matchday squad against West Brom.
He has since started all four games but has been unable to make an impact on the pitch, leading to negative reactions from supporters.
The winger was booed off the pitch after the Wearsiders’ 2-1 defeat to Bristol City at Ashton Gate and received the same reception when his name was announced prior to the match with Blackburn at the Stadium of Light.
Former Sunderland player Marco Gabbiadini reacted to the incident while speaking to BBC Radio Newcastle (23 April).
He said: “It seems a little bit brainless to me. It’s modern football…
“He has agreed a deal in advance of the season finishing. The club are going to do well out of it. Hopefully in the future even better. He might even end up back here on loan in the summer.
“I’m glad that the majority of people did give him the support he deserves. You never know what might happen. He might have a fairy tale end to the season.”
Watson situation unavoidable for Le Bris
It would have been wise for Le Bris to protect the departing Watson, but the situation has been inevitable given what has happened over the last few weeks.
The Black Cats have been shot of wingers, which has led to the teenager being a regular starter as the club closes out the regular season.
| Tommy Watson’s minutes for Sunderland since Brighton announcement | Total Minutes |
| v West Brom | 0 (on bench) |
| v Norwich City | 69 |
| v Swansea City | 76 |
| v Bristol City | 90 |
| v Blackburn | 78 |
Enzo Le Fee had been a long-term absentee after going off injured against Hull City in late February and has only just been reintegrated into the side.
To make matters worse, Romaine Mundle only lasted 33 minutes against West Brom before being withdrawn, with Le Bris saying he could play a part in the play-offs.
With the Wearsiders down to the bare bones, Watson has benefited from a string of starts, while Milan Aleksic has also profited from rare minutes.
If Le Bris has the privilege of a fit squad for the play-offs, then Watson will likely drop to the bench for Mundle or Le Fee, which would take the pressure off the situation.
However, given Sunderland’s recent injury record, Le Bris cannot be to blame for starting the departing Brighton man.