Why Regis Le Bris may refrain from handing Arthur Masuaku his Sunderland debut vs Forest
Sunderland will be without Reinildo for their trip to Nottingham Forest.
Off the back of Sunderland’s 1-1 draw at home to Aston Villa, the Black Cats are back on the road to face Nottingham Forest, who are looking for their first win under Ange Postecoglou.
Sunderland will be without Reinildo after his sending off, leaving Regis Le Bris with a decision to make as to who will fill in in his absence.
Arthur Masuaku would seemingly be the go-to given that he is a natural left-back, but the Black Cats boss may opt against utilising the former West Ham star.
Dilane Bakwa will be a threat for Nottingham Forest
Dilane Bakwa was linked with Sunderland in the summer window, but he could line up against them on Saturday having signed for Forest.
Given his preference for playing on the right flank, Le Bris will want plenty of defensive solidity down that side, and while Masuaku impressed in the Carabao Cup, he may not be best suited for the clash this weekend.
Masuaku’s stats last season for Besiktas
- 47 appearances in all competitions
- 1 goal
- 10 assists
Masuaku is more of an attacking wing-back, and given the likelihood that Sunderland will be sitting back and absorbing pressure, Le Bris may opt to go for someone with a bit more of a defensive nature about themselves.
Whether that change could see Trai Hume swap sides with Lustsharel Geertruida coming in remains to be seen, but Sunderland certainly have options, and they need to ensure that they make the right call.
Lutsharel Geertuida could make full Sunderland debut
Since arriving on loan from Leipzig, Geertruida has been limited to appearances from the bench, and despite being a natural defender, his role has been in the midfield.
With Habib Diarra sidelined, that could be the case again against Forest, though this could be the perfect opportunity for him to showcase his worth in the back line.
Sunderland are still chasing their first away win of the season, and against a side winless under their new boss, Saturday’s clash with Forest provides them the opportunity to achieve that.
However, the team selection will need to be spot on, with Le Bris facing his first real tactical challenge as a Premier League manager.
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