Sunderland winger Tommy Watson has been pictured in training after a lengthy absence

After barely having a left winger at his disposal from early December onwards, Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris suddenly finds himself on the brink of a selection conundrum.

Last weekend, long-term absentee Romaine Mundle made his return to first team action - albeit at the expense of a worryingly withdrawn Enzo Le Fée - while the new week has brought with it training ground photographs of Tommy Watson out on the grass and looking lively.

Admittedly, the chances are that Friday night’s away trip to Sheffield Wednesday will likely come too soon for the latter, but when he is eventually ready to be included in a match day squad, his comeback could present Le Bris with an intriguing - and fairly novel - headache.

You see, during the early knockings of the season, that starting spot out on the left flank was very much Mundle’s by default. Watson was still establishing himself as a regular first team presence at that fledgling stage, and his teammate made such an impact over the opening weeks of the campaign that he even pulled off the borderline impossible and helped Sunderland fans to forget about Jack Clarke in short order. It was only when Mundle came a cropper against Coventry City back in November that Watson properly came to the fore, and as such, Le Bris hasn’t really been in a position where he has had to make a serious, direct choice between two.

Which subsequently begs the question, who will the Frenchman opt for? Gut instinct dictates that it will be the more experienced Mundle who, more often than not, gets the nod, but with Brighton and Hove Albion circling intently over Watson’s shoulder, and the prospect of a summer exit looming ever larger with every passing transfer report, there is an argument to be made for the teenager requiring frequent game time if he is to be convinced into signing a new contract at the Stadium of Light over the coming months.

A closer look at the stats only serves to highlight how unenviable Le Bris’ quandary is too. So far this season, according to Wyscout, Watson has averaged 0.68 goals per 90 minutes, compared to Mundle’s tally of 0.29, as well as 0.39 assists to his teammate’s 0.22. Factor in the 1.13 extra shots he averages per outing and his superior xG of 0.31 to 0.11, and it quickly becomes apparent that the academy graduate poses a much more notable goal threat than Mundle.

Watson’s influence doesn’t end there, though. One of the key facets of Mundle’s game that has been praised repeatedly since he came into the side earlier this term is his defensive work rate and his willingness to put himself about in an effort to regain possession for his side. It comes as something of a shock, then, to discover that Watson actually averages more interceptions, more ball recoveries, and a higher percentage of ball recoveries in the opposition half than his colleague.

But Mundle has his obvious plus points too. While he may not be quite as efficient in front of goal as Watson, there are other pivotal aspects of his all-round game in which he clearly excels. The former Tottenham Hotspur man has, for instance, averaged more dribbles per 90 minutes, more crosses per game, and is operating with a higher pass completion rate.

Beyond that, he makes more progressive runs than Watson per outing, and lays on more shot assists for his teammates too, suggesting that his overall link-up play is of a higher standard, at the time of writing.

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And perhaps that is ultimately what this comes down to. There is no doubting that Watson is an immense young talent with a dizzying future in the professional game, but at the present moment in time, the stats would suggest that he is not quite as attuned with Sunderland’s general approach as Mundle is.

That being said, his overt goal threat and his brash directness make him a hugely valuable asset, and there is an argument to be made for him acting as an impactful sidekick to Mundle - a shot in the arm capable of arriving from the bench and wreaking havoc in the closing stages of contests after his fellow winger has softened up his full-back a little.

Either way, what is abundantly clear is that Le Bris is on the cusp of once again having a wealth of viable options available to him out on the left. Given how threadbare his attack has looked on occasion this season, that can only be a welcome development.

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