The Sunderland changes Lee Johnson will be weighing up and the quote that sums up the challenge he faces

Lee Johnson s options have slowly but surely been growing in recent weeks as the injuries which have framed his matchday selections begin to clear.

'Mo Money Mo Problems' is one of Johnson's most-used phrases at the moment and it's one that will be in his mind again as he looks to get Sunderland's automatic promotion bid back on track at Wigan Athletic.

The head coach was keen to stress that he would not overreact to the defeat, pleased with large elements of his side's play against Charlton Athetic and conscious that their shortcomings on the day were not typical of their recent form.

Nevertheless, his instinctive reaction was that the team had 'carried two or three players' during the first half in particular, and so changes will clearly be on his mind.

Two expected changes

Two of Johnson's key attacking weapons in the run-in will unquestionably be Denver Hume and Jordan Jones.

Both bringing dynamism and ball-carrying ability to the team, attributes that Johnson is eager to promote both in the short and long term.

In both cases, the key for the head coach has been in managing their return from muscle injuries.

Hume had not played in 2021 until his return on Easter Monday, while Jones has seen his minutes carefully managed after he picked up a muscle issue at Fratton Park.

In his case, it's worth remembering too that he arrived at Sunderland with very little recent competitive football.

Johnson was frustrated with the delivery from wide areas on Saturday but both of these players have shown over a period of time the threat they carry.

The head coach said last week that Hume was 'not a million miles' away from making his first start of the year and while he will be eager to ensure the balance of his team is right, these are two changes that would take no one by surprise.

The biggest call and the knock-on effect it could have through the team

Arguably the biggest call Johnson has to make this week is when to bring back Bailey Wright, and what impact this has on the rest of the team.

There was perhaps a hint that a swift comeback could be on the horizon when the centre-half was not named in the U23 side facing West Brom on Monday afternoon.

Johnson said last week that Wright could return in that game, depending on his likely selection for Tuesday's trip to Wigan.

If the experienced Australian has not suffered a setback over the weekend, then it appears he will be in contention.

"He's in a really good place," Johnson said.

"But obviously he's lost a lot of training time and a lot of match time. Now as a centre-half there's a bit of mitigation there, you maybe don't quite need the minutes in the tank that a forward or central midfielder would. Bailey's an experienced player, too.

"He's had some training time with the U23s because of our schedule and he's trained with us today.

"He won't be in the squad tomorrow but he could be if suddenly we really needed him.

"The aim is to perhaps look at Monday to get him some minutes in the U23 game, but that will depend on our needs for the Tuesday game at Wigan.

"He's in a good place, you always want Bailey Wright back for his character first and foremost, he's as good as it gets as a human being.

"He's also a very good player and a leader for us."

Dion Sanderson and Luke O'Nien have formed an outstanding partnership in difficult circumstances, and it's one of Johnson's biggest achievements so far that their defensive record has been so strong while so many senior options have been sidelined.

Jayden Stockley caused problems for the Black Cats on Saturday, though, and the pressure of the promotion run-in makes Wright a tempting option.

The knock-on effect of both Wright and Conor McLaughlin's return is that could allow Johnson to restore players to their more established positions.

Max Power is another player who has performed well out of position but the return of those established defensive options could allow him to move back into midfield.

Sunderland's unbeaten run began with both Power and O'Nien in midfield for an emphatic 4-1 win over Doncaster Rovers, before those injuries forced another rethink and a move away from the 4-3-3 system played that afternoon.

In either of his preferred systems, Johnson now has the options to change the balance of his side.

The two attacking threats missing out

Arguably the player most impacted by Johnson's ‘mo money mo problems’ dilemma has been Chris Maguire.

Maguire has regularly been a very effective substitute option for his head coach, most recently in the 3-1 over Oxford. In that game, Maguire brought some welcome composure in the wide right position, with Lynden Gooch overlapping to great effect against an opponent playing with one man less.

Maguire has been playing U23 games to keep his match fitness topped up and though clearly down the pecking order as it stands, his stunning strike against Crewe Alexandra is a reminder of his talents.

Johnson has said regularly that one of his biggest challenges at the moment is managing those who are not getting as many minutes as they would either like or arguably deserve.

Maguire fits very much into this category and another is Jack Diamond, still a regular in the squad but with ony 45 minutes under his belt since that excellent cameo at Wembley.

Johnson generally prefers to work with a smaller squad to make managing these situations easier, but he also knows that in this congested campaign that depth could make all the difference.

It leaves him a lot to ponder ahead of Tuesday night.

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