Sunderland midfielder Habib Diarra is set for a stint on the sidelines

Marco Gabbiadini has suggested that Habib Diarra’s injury setback represents Sunderland’s “first big blow of the season”.

The Senegalese international was absent from the Black Cats’ 1-1 draw against Aston Villa over the weekend, with Chris Rigg deputising in the centre of the park alongside Noah Sadiki and Granit Xhaka for the first half an hour or so. The academy graduate was then hooked in the aftermath of Reinildo Mandava’s sending off, with Regis Le Bris opting to introduce Dan Ballard in an effort to shore up his back line.

A subsequent statement from Sunderland on Tuesday provided an update on Diarra’s condition, outlining a lengthy time period for the 21-year-old’s recovery. It read: “Sunderland AFC midfielder Habib Diarra underwent successful surgery on Monday.

“After sustaining a groin injury in training ahead of the club’s Premier League fixture versus Aston Villa, the 21-year-old will now begin a period of rehabilitation at the Academy of Light. Diarra, who moved to Wearside from RC Strasbourg in July, is scheduled to return to action in December. Wishing you well in your recovery, Habib!”

The prognosis means that Diarra will likely miss a minimum of eight games, though the congested schedule at the start of December means he could potentially miss at least ten. Sunderland travel to Anfield to face Liverpool on December 3rd, before facing Manchester City days later on December 6th.

If fit, Diarra is also expected to be named in Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations squad. The tournament begins on December 21st, with the final set to be played on January 18th. It means that Le Bris looks set to be without his record signing for a significant period of time.

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What has Sunderland legend Marco Gabbiadini said about Habib Diarra’s injury situation?

And in his assessment of the situation, Gabbidini suggested that the injury represents a notable setback for his former club. Speaking on BBC Radio Newcastle’s Total Sport, the pundit said: “There's been a lot of energy, not from just him - all the midfielders have worked really hard and we've put pressure on teams and not let them settle in games. And even when we've gone behind or things haven't gone our way, we've still managed to keep that tempo.

“So the old engine room scenario comes to mind, and I think they've done very well as a trio. So that is a blow. And for it to be surgery, that's obviously quite serious. And that is, yeah, a real blow – first probably big blow of the season really for the lads and hopefully they'll bounce back from it.”

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