NafisaDennis Cirkin is poised to make his return to Sunderland’s starting lineup this weekend after recovering from wrist surgery. The defender missed recent games against Millwall, West Brom, and Sheffield United but is now fully fit and ready to feature in Saturday’s clash with Stoke City, manager Regis Le Bris has confirmed.Cirkin’s comeback is timely, with Chris Mepham sidelined due to suspension.
Sunderland chose not to appeal Mepham’s red card from the Sheffield United match, which means the defender will serve a one-match ban. An appeal could have seen the red downgraded to yellow, but Mepham, already on four yellows, would still have missed this game. The silver lining is that by the time he returns, the cut-off for yellow card suspensions will have passed, sparing him the risk of a further ban.Chris Rigg and Jobe Bellingham face a similar balancing act as they approach Saturday’s game, which marks the final fixture before the cut-off.
Le Bris urged caution but trust in his young stars, saying: “They have to manage one more game. When they are on the pitch, they have to make the right decisions. So far, they’ve managed the situation well.
I have to trust the players.”With Cirkin’s return, Luke O’Nien is expected to move into central defence alongside Dan Ballard, reinforcing Sunderland’s backline. Le Bris remains confident in his options, emphasizing the squad’s depth: “Probably the back four is the big strength for us. Dennis is a good player and has played very well so far. If he’s available, that’s good for us.”As Sunderland prepare for Stoke, the manager will hope Cirkin’s return and defensive versatility help maintain their solid form in a crucial encounter.
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