Sunderland have mostly enjoyed success from spot kicks this season after the issues from the last campaign

Régis Le Bris has explained Sunderland's penalty-taking routine after Habib Diarra made it two from two with the crucial goal at Elland Road in midweek.

It was a close run thing with Leeds United goalkeeper Karl Darlow getting good contact on his effort, but Diarra is a confident taker who scored in Sunderland's previous FA Cup win at Oxford United. Though he missed at Brentford, Enzo Le Fée has an excellent record across all competitions this season but has stepped aside for Diarra in recent weeks.

Le Bris says he is leaving it to the pair decide on a weekly basis, but that the matter is settled internally ahead of each game. Were Sunderland to get two penalties in one game, the pair would then alternate.

"We have two [penalty takers], Enzo and Habib at the minute," Le Bris said.

"They change every game. It was Habib's at Leeds and he scored. He didn't know how! We had the conversation this morning and he told me he used to run and break the steps with the idea to watch the goalkeeper's behaviour, and something went wrong. It is what it is, but he scored at the end and he was happy. They know before the game who will be the first taker and then who will be the second."

While Le Bris feels it's impossible to carry a surprise factor int he modern game, he is happy to have multiple options within the squad. Sunderland scored all three of their penalties in the FA Cup third round shootout at Everton, with Granit Xhaka and Luke O'Nien taking confident efforts.

"For the opposition I'm not sure [if there is a surprise factor] because everyone has data analysis now, so you know exactly the last 20 or 30 penalties from everyone.

"But for our players it's good to be clear at the beginning and if you have two or three takers it's better."

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Le Bris’s Sunderland injury update ahead of Port Vale clash

Le Bris will be without ten players for this weekend’s clash after Bertrand Traore suffered a knee injury in the win over Leeds United in midweek, and with Trai Hume and Noah Sadiki suspended.

However, the Sunderland head coach is confident that he will have a much deeper squad by the time the club return to Premier League action against Brighton next weekend.

"Brian Brobbey trained this morning - he won't be available for Port Vale, but next week he should be okay," Le Bris said.

"Reinildo should run on the grass this weekend, which is good as well. He's so close to being back with the squad. Everything is going well. Nordi [Mukiele] will probably run next week as well. They are in the bracket to be available around Brighton or Newcastle. Dennis [Cirkin], same idea. He ran last week and it was still a bit painful, but not too much, which is normal. It's a symptom-based and we still have to adapt the rehabilitation programme according to what he feels, but he's in a good place."

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