"Important" Sunderland ace who's missed 18 games close...

One Sunderland player has taken a significant step towards making a comeback from a protracted absence as they

get ready to play Leeds United with the goal of catching up to the Championship leaders.

The Black Cats kept up their push for promotion last time out, defeating a struggling Luton Town team to get back to

winning ways and are seven points behind leaders Leeds and five points ahead of Sheffield United in the automatic

promotion slot.

Naturally, that seven-point difference adds attention to this weekend’s matchup. Regis Le Bris’ team will be only four

points behind the Whites with 14 Championship games left after a victory at Elland Road, creating a fierce

competition for automatic promotion.

Defeat, meanwhile, could all but kill Sunderland’s title chances and leave them as many as eight points below

automatic promotion, let alone runaway leaders Leeds.

Ahead of such a crucial tie then, Le Bris will be glad to have been handed a positive update on the injury front. As

revealed by Le Bris and relayed by The Northern Echo, Alan Browne has made his return to action with the

U21s after missing the last 18 games with a broken leg in what is a key step towards a full comeback.

With Romaine Mundle back in full training, the summer acquisition, who hasn’t played since November, may finally

have his chance to make an impression in the upcoming weeks.

Prior to Sunderland’s victory over Luton, Le Bris gave reporters an injury update and confirmed the news, saying:

“Alan is very close, which is good news for us.” We need his dressing room experience. You realise how crucial a

player is when they are absent.

“We are very close to having a full squad. Romaine is training with the team in full, and Tommy will need another

week to get in touch with the team Touch Wood.” In two or three more weeks, we might have a complete team.

As Sunderland approaches a full-strength roster at a pivotal moment, they couldn’t have wished for better injury

news with just 14 games left. After missing 18 games due to a serious injury, Browne in particular will be happy to

return. Dubbed “important” by Le Bris, the midfielder’s expertise could prove to be the key that unlocks promotion.

The Black Cats still need Jayden Danns to make a comeback, though. The young striker will be eager to finish his

comeback and make the most of his opportunity at The Stadium of Light, but he has been sidelined since arriving on

loan from Liverpool due to a back injury.

As the fixtures come thick and fast, depth will be more important than ever and Sunderland’s returning stars should

reflect that. With automatic promotion still out of reach for the Black Cats, it’s set to be 14 games full of drama once

again in the Championship.

“Important” Sunderland ace who’s missed 18 games close to injury return