Régis Le Bris provides a significant update on Granit Xhaka's injury and defends his team selection at West Ham
Sunderland may be without Granit Xhaka for several Premier League matches due to an ankle injury.
Régis Le Bris has revealed that Xhaka's recovery period will be at least two weeks, ruling him out of the next game against Burnley and potentially the following fixtures. The midfielder missed his first league game of the season as Sunderland suffered a 3-1 defeat at West Ham United, with his absence particularly noticeable in the first half.
Le Bris stated, 'He has an ankle injury, so he'll need at least two weeks to recover, and then we'll reassess to determine the actual rest period. We'll see.'
Despite the setback, Le Bris believes the team selection was not the primary issue. He explained that the system worked effectively when the Black Cats secured a point against Manchester City on New Year's Day. The coach attributed the loss to the team's overall performance, stating that they were outplayed in the first half, with West Ham United demonstrating superior skill, threat, and goal-scoring ability.
Le Bris added, 'They were better than us in the first half, scored three times, could have scored more, and were more composed in duels. They had the ability to threaten our goal and score, so they were better, yes, I agree.'
He further emphasized, 'We played similarly against Manchester City, so with probably two more creative midfielders. However, we utilized this setup during friendly games at the beginning of the season, and I expected a good workflow. I think the team selection is not the main point; it's more about our level during the first half. We can discuss tactics, defense, and attack, but it was a matter of individual performance, and we fell short of our standards.'
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Régis Le Bris addresses Granit Xhaka's confrontation with a West Ham United fan
The game was briefly paused before stoppage time due to a reported verbal confrontation between Granit Xhaka and a West Ham United fan near the Sunderland dugout. Le Bris expressed his unawareness of the incident and his desire to focus on the team's performance, stating, 'I wasn't aware of what happened and haven't discussed it with anyone. We don't want to dwell on the environment; we are concentrating on ourselves. The main focus is that we are not performing at the required level. It's crucial to analyze, learn, work hard, and prepare for the next game. Nothing else matters.'
West Ham United boss Nuno shared a similar sentiment, stating, 'I don't know what happened. I spoke to the referee, who informed me that the game would be paused. I simply asked him how long he would add on! Whatever it was, I hope it was resolved.'
