Sunderland have provided the Championship with excellent attacking, quick football so far this season, and their wingers have been a key asset to Regis Le Bris.
The Black Cats have been the surprise package in the early stages of the 2024/25 campaign, and their form in the first six games has taken them into the top two of the table.
A lot of plaudits have been handed out to the likes of Chris Rigg, Jobe Bellingham and, most surprisingly, Eliezer Mayenda. However, the performances of Patrick Roberts off the right-wing have been crucial to Sunderland’s potential promotion challenge.
The 27-year-old has been excellent since joining from Manchester City in January 2022, and the security of a permanent deal in the north-east has seen him develop into one of the most dangerous wingers in the division.
Le Bris must hope that Roberts stays fit
If Roberts continues to perform, then it will only be beneficial to those at the Stadium of Light, but there will be fears of any fitness issues.
The second half of the 2023/24 season saw the winger struggle with injuries, and he struggled to pick up any momentum as Sunderland finished 16th in the table.
But, this year has been a completely different story for Roberts, who has already added a goal and two assists to his total in just six matches, bettering his record from the last campaign.
Nevertheless, there will be fears over his fitness, particularly due to the inconsistency he seemed to have last season. He missed four matches at the start of 2024 due to a calf problem, before missing another six just three games after his return with a thigh injury.
He returned to the bench against Cardiff City. However, he failed to come onto the pitch, and instead had to wait until the Black Cats faced Blackburn Rovers at the Stadium of Light to get back on the pitch.
If Le Bris can keep Roberts away from the treatment room, then Sunderland will be in a fantastic position to carry on their push for promotion. Otherwise, there could be a new issue for the French manager to contend with in the coming months.
