Sunderland are back in Premier League action on Sunday afternoon
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Régis Le Bris has made four changes to his Sunderland XI to face Spurs this afternoon.
Though Dan Ballard remains absent with a hamstring issue, Robin Roefs is fit to start and returns to the starting XI. The Black Cats are also boosted by the returns of Reinildo, Nordi Mukiele and Enzo Le Fee to the starting XI after their recovery from recent injuries.
Arguably Le Bris’s biggest call is that Luke O’Nien retains his place at the heart of defence, with Mukiele coming in at right back. That means that Trai Hume and Lutsharel Geertruida drop to the bench, as well as winger Chemsdine Talbi. Le Fee will play on the left wing with Chris Rigg retaining his place on the right flank.
Sunderland XI: Roefs; Mukiele, O'Nien, Alderete, Reinildo; Xhaka, Sadiki, Diarra; Rigg, Le Fée, Brobbey
Subs: Ellborg, Hume, Geertruida, Cirkin, Jenson Jones, Harrison Jones, Talbi, Mayenda, Isidor
As expected, Antonin Kinsky is in goal for Spurs with first-choice goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario sidelined due to a hernia issue. New head coach Roberto De Zerbi has selected a very attacking XI, naming three strikers in the side.
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RLB challenges Sunderland to prove their top-half credentials during Premier League run in
Sunderland have all but secured their primary objective of Premier League safety but Le Bris says he has no concerns about his players easing off.
“Yeah after Leeds, when we reached the 40-point target we spoke about what might be the future because we always need objectives,” Le Bris said.
“Collective objectives, individual objectives and daily standards. And for the club it's clear, the owner, the director of football and so on, they want to be consistent in the top 10 in the Premier League. This is their vision, and I share this vision. And if you are consistent in this part of the table, one year, two years, you can be a bit closer to the top six, so we are doing well, and this season it is probably achievable. Is it early? Yes, maybe. But when it's on, you have to try and seize the opportunity, so we'll see.
“I think we still want to win and the pressure is more internal,” Le Bris added.
“We want to win again at home because we struggled a bit in the last sequence. It's about our standards. The main goal of the season is probably achieved now and it wasn't easy. Sometimes we can forget because it's always about the next game. But it was really hard and we struggled at times but we showed great character.
“Now we want to keep that because we want to grow.”