“He has to start in the playoff final or Sunderland gets hooked”- Skysports Pundit warned Regis Le Bris to unleash £7.7M star against Sheffield United
Sunderland must now unleash their new Jack Clarke in the playoff final
Sunderland are now only one nail-biting clash away from finally returning to the Premier League.
Of course, this isn’t going to be a straightforward passage back up to the promised land, as Chris Wilder’s intimidating Sheffield United will be aiming to make the Wearside outfit’s day out to Wembley dour by securing their own reentry to the exclusive division.
If Regis Le Bris’ side do perform to the heights they know they’re capable of and hold their nerve, however, top-flight football could finally be back on the menu at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s key stars at Wembley
The Blades might well boast the Championship’s Player of the Season in Gustavo Hamer among other standout performers, but the Frenchman will back his own set of stars to get the job done regardless.
After all, Le Bris has his own creative menace down the left flank too in Enzo Le Fee, with the slick loanee’s excellent corner kick delivery against Coventry City last time out sealing Sunderland’s dramatic progression to Wembley.
Of course, Daniel Ballard also had to be in the perfect spot to power home the 25-year-old’s cross, with this ability to pop up with a moment of magic an effective weapon to call upon in the nerve-wracking final.
Alongside both Ballard and Le Fee, Le Bris also has Jobe Bellingham, Wilson Isidor and Eliezer Mayenda at his disposal in attack, with both Mayenda and Isidor getting in on the goalscoring action during the first leg victory over the Sky Blues.
But, Patrick Roberts might not be as fortunate as the tricky trio when it comes to making the starting XI for Wembley.
Consequently, the Black Cats boss could now be tempted to start Sunderland’s new version of Jack Clarke for the one-off tie over the hit-and-miss 28-year-old
Clarke has history in the play-offs, albeit in League One, notably playing at Wembley on that day in 2022 when the Black Cats defeated Wycombe 2-0 courtesy of goals from Elliot Embleton and Ross Stewart.
While Clarke didn’t start, he did come on as a second-half substitute for Embleton. On this occasion, however, their new Clarke must be given his big day out in the capital.
Sunderland’s new Jack Clarke
In an ideal reality, the promotion-chasers would still have
their former hero around as they attempt to navigate a passage back up to the Premier League.
But, Clarke chose to join Premier League-bound Ipswich Town last summer instead. Yet, that doesn’t diminish his superb tally of 23 goals and 28 assists for the Black Cats when he was performing at the peak of his powers.
Whilst Roberts has shown throughout his long stay on Wearside to date that he can also conjure up moments of quality like Clarke before him – with nine goals and 17 assists coming his way from 144 games – Sunderland’s next iteration of their revered ex-number 20 could instead be Romaine Mundle.
This could result in Mundle coming in for Roberts down the right, despite the ex-Standard Liege man being more of a natural option on the left flank. But, after the 29-year-old failed to register a single on-target effort on the Sky Blues goal across two legs, drastic measures might be deemed necessary.
This suggestion doesn’t even look that radical when you assess the table above with Mundle actually playing 35 career games down the right wing previously, culminating in a healthy six goals and five assists coming his way.
Away from his overall career numbers, however, and he’s already showing why he could be the most fitting recipient of the baton from Clarke when donning a Black Cats strip, with Mundle tallying up five goals and two assists across 23 league contests this season when injury-free.
Previously hailed as “brilliant” by Sunderland skipper Dan Neil, Mundle could well find he’s chucked out to the right flank for his team’s all-or-nothing playoff final, therefore, with the Frenchman having to play his best possible XI no matter what.
