Régis Le Bris details Habib Diarra injury blow ahead of Brentford and outlines return timeframe
Régis Le Bris has provided a major update on the fitness of Habib Diarra ahead of Sunderland’s trip to Brentford this weekend
Sunderland have been dealt a significant injury blow after Régis Le Bris confirmed Habib Diarra is expected to miss between six and eight weeks with a hamstring problem.
Diarra suffered the injury during Sunderland’s 1-0 win over Fulham at the Stadium of Light last weekend. The midfielder came off the bench and made an immediate impact, driving Sunderland forward before setting up Wilson Isidor’s winning goal, but he was forced off shortly afterwards.
Le Bris has now confirmed the extent of the setback and admitted his frustration after being impressed by Diarra throughout pre-season. “Habib, it’s a shame because I was so pleased with his pre-season and he’s getting more mature about his game, about clarity on the pitch, about his qualities and how they fit with the demand of the Premier League.
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“The proof was against Fulham. When he came on the pitch, he was a beast and changed the pace of the game. So he will wait, I think, six to eight weeks with his new injury. So it’s a shame, but it is what it is, and we’ll take care of him until early October, back in the team.”
The timeframe means Diarra will definitely miss Saturday’s Premier League trip to Brentford and is set to sit out Sunderland’s early autumn schedule, including the beginning of their Europa League campaign. It is another frustrating interruption for a player whose previous season was also disrupted. Asked how difficult the latest setback was for both Diarra and Sunderland, Le Bris added: “Yeah, absolutely. We are frustrated, he is frustrated, so it is what it is, and we need to accept it.”