Regis Le Bris on Dan Neil’s Sunderland opportunity.

DAN Neil will receive the Sunderland Premier League opportunity he has been looking for next month when Regis Le Bris loses several of his key players to the African Cup of Nations.

Neil captained the Black Cats to promotion last season, but has only made two late replacement appearances from the bench in the opening two and a half months of the Premier League season.

Summer signings Granit Xhaka, Noah Sadiki, and Habib Diarra have all established themselves as key players in Le Bris’ in-form squad, and Neil was even overlooked after Diarra sustained a catastrophic groin injury at the end of September, with Chris Rigg and Enzo Le Fee taking his place. However, Sunderland are set to lose both Sadiki and Diarra next month.

will be part of the DR Congo roster for the African Cup of Nations, which begins on December 21, and Diarra is expected to be fit in time to join the Senegal squad. And this will provide Neil and other fringe players in the early stages of the season with the opportunity they have been looking for.

“Yes, they are aware of the situation,” Le Bris acknowledged. “This is an opportunity for them. Those players do not have an opportunity right now, but they will have one shortly. They simply need to study hard and be prepared for that.”

Le Bris has been impressed with Neil’s attitude and how he has adjusted to losing his spot in the team, but acknowledges he will only know if he is ready for the Premier League when the 23-year-old is given his chance.

“It’s hard to say because when you don’t play you don’t know the output exactly, but his behaviour is perfect so I’m confident,” said the coaching staff member.

Neil’s present Sunderland situation is further complicated by the fact that his contract expires at the conclusion of the season. Le Bris stated that there was no change on that front.

Luke O’Nien and Anthony Patterson, who, like Neil, have lost their places in Sunderland’s squad this season, both played for the Under-21s in the Premier League International Cup this week. Neil was expected to play, according to Le Bris, but he sustained a mild concussion while training.

Eliezer Mayenda and Brian Brobbey both represented the Under-21s against Anderlecht, with Brobbey scoring in the 2-2 tie. Le Bris stated, “It was a joint decision on who played.

When you receive minutes in a situation like that, it’s quite positive. “You can train every day, but you don’t play the entire game. It was a terrific opportunity, and they performed well.”

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