Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has provided updates on the statuses of Eliezer Mayenda, Adil Aouchiche, and Aji Alese as they vie for a return to the team.
Mowbray has confirmed that Eliezer Mayenda and Adil Aouchiche are set to join the squad for the Swansea City match, signaling a positive trend in reducing the team’s injury list. It’s not certain if either of them will be part of the matchday squad for this Saturday’s game. However, there will be an opening in the squad as Chris Rigg is heading to Indonesia for the U17 World Cup, which could lead to him missing up to four matches, depending on England’s performance in the tournament. Rigg has been a consistent presence on the bench this season.
Mowbray had initially considered including Mayenda on the bench last week but opted to be cautious with the young striker, who was recovering from a hamstring issue. Nevertheless, the 18-year-old has undergone full training this week.
As for Aji Alese, he’s not quite ready to rejoin the squad, but Mowbray believes his return to full training is imminent. Mowbray stated, “I don’t think [anyone will be back].” He elaborated that Mayenda has been training with the team but has only had one ninety-minute game in a practice match against Hibs. While there are a few players who have traveled to Southampton to play in the U21s, Mayenda will accompany the team to Swansea to integrate further.
Mowbray mentioned that the squad will likely remain largely the same as it has been. Adil Aouchiche has resumed training, and he was on the verge of starting in a game just before he suffered his injury. He still needs to continue his training program, but he will be traveling with the team.
Aji Alese, on the other hand, has been training on the field every day, indicating that his return to the main group is not far off. Mowbray anticipates that by the time of the next international break, Alese will be back in full training and competing for a spot in the team. However, he may spend some time with the U21s during that period. Jay Matete, Elliot Embleton, and Corry Evans remain sidelined with long-term injuries.