Sunderland man Dennis Cirkin reveals niggling injury issue and why he played against Coventry City
The Sunderland man is currently carrying a minor knock but is determined to play after last season’s injury woes
Dennis Cirkin has revealed playing through an injury issue against Coventry City in the Championship at the Stadium of Light last weekend.
Eagle-eyed Sunderland fans may have noticed that the left-back, who started for Régis Le Bris in defence last Saturday, was wearing a protective bandage on his right hand during the clash. Despite the issue, the former Tottenham man scored the Black Cats second of the afternoon with a superb solo run and strike.
The 22-year-old has played all 15 of Sunderland’s Championship games so far this season after appearing on just eight occasions in the league last campaign after suffering several serious injuries as the Black Cats finished 16th under interim head coach Mike Dodds.
“Yeah, I think so,” Cirkin added when asked if the injury to his hand was okay following the 2-2 draw with Coventry City. “I think that's a question you'll have to ask the physio team. I had a bit of an issue with it from the QPR game.”
Cirkin continued: “There are always little things going on but as a footballer, you're never going to be 100% going into a game. That's why we're finding the best solution, to just keep me on the pitch and try to get as best as I can to 100 per cent.”
Sunderland threw away a two-goal lead at the Stadium of Light to draw with Coventry City. The Black Cats under Le Bris are now unbeaten in their last eight games but haven’t won in their last three after draws with Queens Park Rangers and Preston North End as well as with the Sky Blues.
“I think every team's different,” Cirkin reflected on Sunderland’s form after the game. “I think the way Coventry set up might have given me a bit more space on the ball. I thought the first half especially, we were excellent in finding the spare man.
“We work on it week in, week out. So I thought we implemented that really well. Then in the second half, I thought the game changed a little bit. Their goal, I don't want to say lucky goal, but it was a bit unfortunate from our perspective.”