Mike Dodds names the Sunderland player in line for a major opportunity amid defensive injury crisis

Timothée Pembélé could get a major opportunity to impress amid Sunderland's defensive injury crisis.

Pembélé has struggled for regular opportunities since his summer move from PSG, making five Championship appearances. He is yet to start a competitive fixture but that looks set to change on Saturday afternoon.

Luke O'Nien is suspended and Jenson Seelt is also absent with a knee problem that will keep him out for at least the rest of the season. Dan Ballard could yet play after picking up a hamstring injury in the defeat to Southampton last week, but he has not trained since and so is a major doubt.

That would mean Trai Hume shifting into the centre of defence alongside Leo Hjelde, with Pembélé and Callum Styles playing at full back. Dodds believes the right back is capable of making an impact and says Hume's ongoing excellence is the main reason he hasn't featured more.

“I don’t think I can hide the back four unless I’m going to do something ridiculous," Dodds joked.

"Timmy had a huge pedigree at youth level and has had a couple of significant injuries in previous years. The club invested in him in the summer and in one of his early sessions with us, he had a quite serious hamstring injury which obviously knocked him back for a period of time.

"I think it's just taken him, sometimes young players moving to a new country, I think it takes them a while to settle and I think you've seen that with a few players," Dodds added.

"I think with Timmy that has probably been the case, I think it's taken a little longer to settle and I think that happens with youngsters - especially when they've moving to a new country. He's got huge pedigree, huge potential, he hasn't been able to force his way into the team but if I'm being brutally honest I just think that's because we've got one of the best right backs in this league in Trai Hume. If we're speaking frankly, that's the main reason why. In this period, you would expect to see more minutes for Timmy."