Sunderland boss explains his clear message for out-of-favour duo after selection snubs

Régis Le Bris has assured Adil Aouchiche and Abdoullah Ba that they still have a future at the club and can play their way into his plans this season.

The pair have been left out of the head coach’s squad for the last two Championship fixtures, with a deadline-day exit seen as a possibility for both. That did not materialise and while the duo are unlikely to be back in the starting XI in the near future, Le Bris says it is a long season and insists that there’s every chance they’ll be back in the fold at some stage.

“I've had a short conversation with them, and I'll have more,” he said.

“For all the players in the squad, they need to be clear about the project - where they are now, what are the expectations for you and the team. When it [the future] still not clear [with the transfer window open] it is very difficult for the players and the coaches to understand their role. We'll have this conversation. They are with us, part of the team, and they have the ability to play with us if they deserve it.

“I don't think we have too many players, we have 22, 23 with the ability to play. Now the balance will be different because some went, some came in and you find a new balance. The first part of the season we built a good dynamic, now we have to take another step. There is the possibility for everyone in the squad to play if they show they deserve it in the training sessions, or maybe in the ten, twenty minutes they come onto the pitch. It's a reset, I can say that, and all the players have a chance to play. We know we can't play well with 11 or 12 players, we need 18,19,20 ready to play because we have more fixtures coming. We need everyone over the season.”

Le Bris has a big dilemma this weekend with Dan Neil back from suspension and deadline-day signings Chris Mepham and Milan Aleksic available for selection.