Sunderland team news explained as Régis Le Bris names starting XI to face Leeds United in New Jersey
Sunderland play the second friendly of their US tour on Friday as they take on Leeds United
Brian Brobbey returns to lead the line for Sunderland as they face Leeds United in New Jersey on Friday.
Brobbey replaces Wilson Isidor in the only change to Sunderland’s XI from the XI that started against Liverpool in Nashville last weekend, with Régis Le Bris as expected naming his more senior players to begin the contest against Leeds United.
Le Bris is expected to give most of his starting XI an hour in this game, before making a number of changes. The second XI will feature academy players plus the others who have returned following their World Cup commitments this week: Habib Diarra, Noah Sadiki, Simon Adingra, Robin Roefs and Nilson Angulo.
Sunderland XI: Ellborg; Mukiele, Ballard, O’Nien, Reinildo; Browne, Rigg, Le Fee; Hume, Mundle, Brobbey
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Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has again named a mix of senior and academy players in his starting XI, with a raft of changes expected for the second half. Sunderland transfer target Tarik Muharemovic makes his first start in a Leeds United shirt since opting to make the move to Elland Road from Sassuolo.
Speaking on Wednesday evening, Le Bris confirmed his plan for the game.
“For the game time, we'll keep doing what we did, probably we'll push a few players until 60 minutes against Leeds,” Le Bris said.
“The players from the World Cup will join as well for 30 minutes and we'll mix the squad like this for the first game. We'll have another opportunity against Wrexham, probably to go for 45-45, something like that. It's not one single rule [for every players] but it's more or less the main idea.
“The first group have started really well with a good atmosphere and with less players it helps to connect immediately and to design properly the load and the connection we can produce with them. They were really proactive, connected with the last games of the season, I think. The last part, the last month, we are really positive, so it helps when we restart. And then progressively we’ve got our players from the World Cup who are like new signings. And it's good because they feel that the first group is already in good shape and well connected with our principles and with clear ideas. So they just have to join and so it's great.”
Jocelin Ta Bi remains absent after his visa application was rejected.
