Enzo Le Charge is obtainable for Sunderland’s sport towards West Bromwich Albion, stay on Sky Sports activities, after lacking six weeks by way of damage.
The central midfielder, signed in January on mortgage from Roma in one of the vital high-profile Championship offers of the window, suffered a hamstring damage towards Hull Metropolis on February 22 in Sunderland’s solely dwelling defeat of the season.
However Le Charge is now in competition for Saturday’s lunchtime sport at play-off rivals West Brom – stay on Sky Sports activities+.
Sunderland head coach Regis Le Bris says they are going to be cautious with Le Charge on his return forward of the ultimate seven video games of the league season and a probable play-off schedule.
Le Charge has deputised on the left wing for a lot of the season, however might lastly play in his favoured central-midfield function with Romain Mundle and Brighton-bound Tommy Watson match after returning earlier than the worldwide break.
“I hope now that we will see him in midfield because this is his best position,” Le Bris mentioned. “We’ll try to connect the other midfielders now.”
Le Charge has scored as soon as and arrange one other in eight appearances for Sunderland since arriving from Roma.
Sunderland, who’re hoping to return to the Premier League after eight years away, are fourth within the desk and 15 factors away from sixth-placed West Brom forward of Saturday’s sport.
Evaluation: Le Charge return a sport changer for Le Bris
Le Charge’s low-key limp off the pitch at half-time vs Hull informed a story not many noticed. He injured his hamstring earlier within the half however performed on, considerably restricted. Followers have been greatly surprised to see him eliminated, questioning if it was a mistake.
He had began each sport since signing as much as that time, having featured simply 10 instances in his first six months at Roma. This caught as much as him. However he is again now. And, for the primary time, capable of play with Mundle.
Thus far, Le Charge has featured predominantly on the left wing, not his most well-liked place. Nonetheless, his high quality shone away from the central areas he’s used to taking over.
There was a second in his debut towards Burnley. He obtained the ball in his personal half and let roll in entrance of him, deftly flicking it past Connor Roberts, earlier than driving up the left flank and whipping with a ball with the surface of his boot that wrapped across the Clarets defence and located Wilson Isidor, who might solely fireplace extensive.
He averaged 4.28 progressive carries (89th percentile), 2.67 carries into the ultimate third (89th percentile), 3.08 passes into the ultimate third (ninetieth percentile) with 0.28 anticipated assisted targets (96th percentile) per 90.
His guile was proven defensively too, notching 2.94 tackles (96th percentile) and 1.07 interceptions (96th percentile); he embraced Le Bris’ aggressive off-the-ball model.
In a central function, Le Charge can have talent, tempo and energy forward of him with Jobe Bellingham, Patrick Roberts, and Mundle.
Le Bris, the person who introduced Le Charge by way of at French membership Lorient, says central midfield is “his best position” and he plans to revive him to that function.
He added: ”With Enzo, we can have another choice, a distinct model of play, possibly totally different connections, possibly we are able to open the rotation of the midfield, for instance.”
Alongside Dan Neil (captain), Chris Rigg, and Bellingham, Sunderland have 4 elite centre-midfield choices for the play-offs. And are available Could, Le Charge could be the most important sport changer of all of them.