Sunderland man Trai Hume reacts to crucial suspension boost and sends fatigue message to Régis Le Bris

Sunderland defender Trai Hume said he was “happy” to have avoided a two-game suspension after the recent matches against Cardiff City and Preston North End.

Players in the Championship who have received 10 yellow cards in the first 37 games of the Championship would have had to set two games out suspended. Coming into the Cardiff City and Preston North End games, right-back Hume was sitting on eight cautions.

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Although the Northern Ireland International was booked against Preston North End to take his tally to nine, Hume managed to reach and pass through the suspension threshold unscathed alongside Sunderland teammate Jobe Bellingham.

“I don't even know how many yellows I'm on,” Hume said when asked about reaching the 37-game mark in the Championship without picking up a two-game suspension. “It is good that I've got past the ten mark (without being suspended). Last season, I think I finished the season with 14. So, you know, I've always picked up a fair few yellows. I'm happy to get past that ten mark. Just hopefully, I don't hit the 15. “

I just play the way I like to play,” Hume said when asked if he had changed his playing style to avoid reaching ten cautions. “I think it was different whenever I was close to the five yellows. Because there were a lot of games remaining. I think I was on four after about seven or eight games.”

“So, I didn't really manage myself then. I think it was a bit different now because there are fewer games. I have the chance of picking up yellows every game. So, I think it's a bit different. But, no, I don't really try and make it change the way I play.”

Hume played in every single one of Sunderland's 46 league games last season under Tony Mowbray, Michael Beale and Mike Dodds. This campaign under Régis Le Bris, the 22-year-old has notched 36 league appearances from a possible 37. The defender missed the Millwall game at The Den after picking up his fifth yellow card of the season in the previous match against Coventry City at home.

As well as becoming a Sunderland stalwart in recent seasons, the Northern Ireland defender barely misses a game for his country and has once again been called up for international duty heading into the March break later this month after the Black Cats’ next game away to Coventry City in the league. Hume, though, doesn’t believe he needs to rest anytime soon.

“I'm happy enough to keep playing,” Hume said when asked how he felt having played so much football for Sunderland this season. “Obviously, the rest isn't on me. That's not my choice. It'll be, obviously, the gaffer's responsibility to do that.”

He continued: “But, I'm fine enough. I played every game last season. I've played a lot of games this season before. I think I've played every game this season, but I want to suspend it. I've played every game for my national team. So, I think I'm just happy enough to crack on and just keep going.”

Sunderland’s suspension situation explained

Le Bris has been handed a massive selection boost after passing the second yellow card amnesty of the Championship campaign unscathed.

Tuesday night's clash was Sunderland's 37th league fixture of the season, at which point players no longer incur a suspension for picking up ten yellow cards. Jobe Bellingham has been on nine yellows for three games heading into Preston North End's visit but was able to avoid any further yellows.

That means he'll be available to face Coventry City this weekend, as well as the visit of Alex Neil's Millwall to the Stadium of Light after the upcoming international break. Trai Hume and Wilson Isidor had both been on eight yellows for a period of time coming into the Preston game, with Hume picking up another yellow in the first half.

The suspension threshold now moves, with players picking up a three-game ban if they pick up 15 yellow cards before the end of the campaign.