Sunderland have suffered a significant injury setback

Sunderland have confirmed that Habib Diarra will be absent until December after undergoing surgery on a groin injury.

Diarra was a surprise absentee from the squad as Sunderland drew 1-1 with Aston Villa on Sunday, with head coach Régis Le Bris confirming that he suffered a muscle injury in training shortly before the game.

He confirmed that he was expecting to be without the Senegal international for a few weeks at least, and the club have now announced Diarra will miss the entirety of Sunderland’s October and November schedule.

A club statement reads: “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 update means that Diarra will 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 is likely to be without the 21-year-old for a significant number of games.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates directly to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Chris Rigg set for major Sunderland opportunity

The injury blow will likely mean increased opportunities for Sunderland youngster Chris Rigg, who impressed Le Bris on his first Premier League start against Aston Villa. Le Bris was forced into withdrawing Rigg in the first half after Reinildo was shown a red card, but praised his performance afterwards.

“It was difficult," Le Bris said.

"I think he [Rigg] played really well for what was his real debut in the Premier League. I am happy for him because he is a hard worker, always connected with the energy of the squad even if he was a sub at the beginning of the league season. After [the red card], we had to change something to keep the system solid out of possession. It was important to change the shape."

Dan Neil also made his Premier League debut during stoppage time of Sunday’s game, and is another player who could now be in line for greater game time following the news.

Your next Sunderland read: Sunderland's new predicted final Premier League finish after Aston Villa draw