Sunderland have given up major damage ahead of Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest
Sunderland have suffered a major injury ahead of their Premier League games against Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest, according to reports.
Sunderland are chasing Europe after a dream season back in the top flight
Sunderland shouldn’t be here.
A club newly promoted for their first Premier League season in nearly a decade, Régis Le Bris’ side go into the last six games with a genuine claim to European football.
Sunday’s 1-0 win over Tottenham, courtesy of a Nordi Mukiele strike, moved the Black Cats within a point of seventh-placed Brentford and just six out of the top five.
Three wins from four has created real momentum at the Stadium of Light, and with Wolves, Nottingham Forest and Everton all in the running alongside tricky fixtures at Villa and Man United, the games are manageable enough to sustain the pressure.
The visit of Villa on Sunday is next, and will test the depth of a squad that has been heavily hampered by injuries in the final weeks of the season.
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The Black Cats are looking to strengthen their front line this summer.
Nilson Angulo has been on a notable absence since mid-March, and his return has become one of the most followed stories on Wearside.
Sunderland have given Nilson Angulo a boost ahead of Villa and Forest
Now, according to a report from the Ecuadorian outlet Futbol Ecuador, the winger is in the final stages of his recovery and is closing in on a comeback.
The club staff have apparently confirmed that Angulo is nearing the end of his rehabilitation, and is unlikely to be included in the squad for the trip to Villa on Sunday.
However, the outlet cautions that confirmation of his return to the field this weekend is premature, with the most likely goal being their home game against Nottingham Forest on April 24.
Angulo, 22, arrived from Anderlecht in February for around £17.5m and has been earmarked as a major contributor in the second half of the season.
The Ecuadorian midfielder managed seven goals and eight assists for Anderlecht in Jupiler Pro League football before making the move, and quickly established himself as an option that Sunderland built up on the left side.
His injury came at the worst possible time – a muscle tear in training days before the 1-0 defeat to Brighton on March 14, which immediately ruled him out and led to a four-to-six-week prognosis for Le Bris.
The international break that followed was even more complicated matters.
Ecuador initially included him in their squad for friendlies against Morocco and the Netherlands despite the injury, a decision that drew criticism in his home country.
His national team coach, Sebastián Beccacece, quickly resolved the situation, confirming that Angulo will return to Sunderland for further treatment. He was described as the first person in his country when he was there.
Photos of him returning to the grass at the Academy of Light surfaced last week, raising hopes that he could still play a role in the run.
Le Bris has thrived without him – Chris Rigg off the right, Chemsdine Talbi into the left – but the added quality Angulo offers in wide areas could be a valuable asset as the overhaul becomes increasingly fruitful.
Le Bris looks to be creating another Jack Clarke at Sunderland
Regis Le Bris deserves a huge amount of credit for the way he turned Sunderland around and a certain young star.
