The changes Regis Le Bris should make against Oxford United as Sunderland intensify play-off preparations

Here we go, folks; play-off mode. After weeks of rest and rotation, Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris has suggested that he is finally ready to start fielding his strongest starting XI again ahead of next month’s bid for promotion.

On Saturday afternoon, the Black Cats will travel to face relegation-threatened Oxford United, and by the sounds of it, the head coach plans on pulling no punches when team news drops at 2pm.

Speaking in a press conference ahead of his side’s trip to the Kassam Stadium, Le Bris said: "We earned this possibility [to rest and rotate]. I'm proud of the team and squad. It's a big achievement. At the same time, with the core of the squad, we knew it was important to go through this phase to have as many players as possible available and fit.

“This period was unusual and strange but a good opportunity to refresh. And now with one game per week we will have a different dynamic. It won't be a play-off game but it will be closer to the right dynamic. Yes, probably, it will be close to the first XI for the semi finals [but] many things can happen.”

But what changes will Le Bris make from Easter Monday’s 1-0 home defeat at the hands of Blackburn Rovers, and what changes would we like to see this weekend?

Enzo Le Fée reinstated

Le Bris has been understandably cautious with his January signing since his return from a hamstring injury just after the international break, and as a consequence he has started just one of Sunderland’s past five Championship outings. There is a general feeling around Wearside, however, that if the Black Cats are to seal a long-awaited return to the Premier League next month, then Le Fée will likely play a significant role in their success.

As such, allowing him to get a couple of decent run-outs under his belt between now and the end of the regular campaign feels like a smart idea, and you would assume that given his recent rhetoric, it is also one that Le Bris is open to as well.

The return of Dan Neil, Trai Hume, and Patrick Roberts

Such an influential trio for Sunderland in recent seasons, Neil, Hume, and Roberts have all played an awful lot of football this season, and were all deserving of a break in Monday’s dead rubber against Blackburn - even if Hume’s was a consequence of his contentious red card against Bristol City on Good Friday. Hopefully some time out of the side will have recharged their batteries ahead of the most crucial juncture of the campaign, and the Black Cats will subsequently reap the benefits of Le Bris’ measured approach.

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Minutes for Dennis Cirkin

While it is highly unlikely that Cirkin will start this weekend following his lengthy period on the treatment table, there is a hope that he will be able to make an appearance in some capacity. Indeed, Le Bris himself stated on Thursday: “Dennis will be on the bench for Oxford and I hope he can get 25,35 minutes at the end of the game.” If that is the case, and if Sunderland’s first choice left-back can get on the pitch, with view to gaining even more minutes against QPR next week, then it would surely represent a notable boost for the Black Cats heading into the play-offs.

Your next Sunderland read: Régis Le Bris confirms Sunderland selection plan for Oxford and what fans can expect