Sunderland handed major injury blow ahead of Burnley and Derby games as defender is stretchered off vs Stoke

Sunderland have been handed an injury blow during the FA Cup clash against Stoke City.

Black Cats defender Aji Alese was stretchered off in the second half of the third-round clash after going down holding his knee in the 58th minute. The defender started at left-back instead of Dennis Cirkin for the clash but was replaced by Zak Johnson.

Le Bris opted to name five changes ahead of the game, with Aaron Connolly, Chris Rigg, Harrison Jones, Leo Hjelde and Simon Moore replacing Wilson Isidor, Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, Chris Mepham and Anthony Patterson after Sunderland’s last league game against Portsmouth.

Stoke City took the lead just four minutes in after Dan Neil played a poor ball at Moore’s chest. The goalkeeper controlled it and hooked it away, only for Luke O’Nien to give away the penalty, which was dispatched by Cannon to put Mark Robins’ side ahead before Alese’s injury in the second.

The Black Cats are next up against Burnley and Derby County in the Championship next week.

The Echo will have full coverage of the game and Alese’s injury after the match.