Sunderland Injury News: Omar Alderete, Habib Diarra and Romaine Mundle Updates Ahead of Manchester City
Sunderland could be forced to make changes to their squad for Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester City after defender Omar Alderete reportedly suffered an injury during their Europa League victory over AZ Alkmaar.
Régis Le Bris’ side enjoyed a memorable night at the Stadium of Light on Wednesday, returning to European competition for the first time in more than five decades. The Black Cats marked their return with a narrow 1-0 victory, with Enzo Le Fée converting a second-half penalty to secure three valuable points.
However, the victory may have come at a cost, with Alderete reportedly picking up an injury during the contest. Sunderland now face another demanding assignment, travelling to Manchester City on Sunday for a meeting with one of the Premier League’s leading sides.
Alderete Injury Raises Fresh Concern
According to reports from Paraguayan outlet VS Sports, Alderete was forced to leave the field in the 52nd minute against AZ Alkmaar after appearing to suffer an injury. The 29-year-old defender was reportedly seen limping as he made his way off the pitch at the Stadium of Light.
The situation leaves Sunderland waiting for further information regarding the severity of the problem and whether Alderete will be fit enough to participate against Manchester City.
Interestingly, the defender is still reportedly expected to be included in Paraguay’s plans for their upcoming friendly fixtures against Bolivia during the next international window. However, his immediate availability for Sunderland remains uncertain.
Le Bris reportedly provided no significant update on Alderete’s condition during his press conference on Friday, September 18. If the Paraguay international is unable to recover in time for the trip to the Etihad Stadium, Sunderland may have to turn to Dan Ballard.
Ballard could potentially partner Tottenham Hotspur loanee Kevin Danso in the centre of defence, giving Le Bris another option as he prepares his team for the difficult Premier League encounter.
Mundle and Diarra Also Unavailable
Alderete is not the only Sunderland player facing fitness problems ahead of the Manchester City game. Romaine Mundle is also expected to miss the fixture after suffering a knee injury earlier this month.
The 23-year-old winger has not featured since making a brief one-minute appearance during Sunderland’s Premier League victory over Fulham on August 30. His absence would further reduce Le Bris’ options as Sunderland prepare for their final match before the upcoming international break.
Habib Diarra is another player believed to be unavailable. The midfielder, who also featured in Sunderland’s victory over Fulham, is reportedly dealing with a hamstring problem.
With Diarra and Mundle already expected to miss the Manchester City trip, Alderete’s latest injury concern could provide Le Bris with another selection headache.
Despite the fitness issues, Sunderland could still have attacking options available. Summer signing Malick Fofana has started against Hull City in the EFL Cup and AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League over the past two weeks, and he could now be in contention for his first full Premier League start.
Sunderland will therefore head into Sunday’s clash with several important fitness questions still to be answered, particularly surrounding Alderete. Le Bris will hope the defender’s injury is not serious enough to prevent him from taking part in what promises to be a challenging test at the Etihad Stadium.
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