Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray has offered an update on the fitness of Patrick Roberts following his Championship absence vs Burnley on Saturday. The Black Cats suffered a 4-2 defeat against the Clarets, but there was cause for concern when the forward wasn’t featured on the teamsheet for the encounter at the Stadium of Light.
The boss hadn’t mentioned any problems during his pre-match press conference on Thursday, but has now revealed the reason behind the 25-year-old being left out of the matchday squad.
Speaking after the Burnley game, Mowbray confirmed that Roberts sustained an injury in training last week and wanted to keep him out as a precaution save making matters worse. “We’ll see how the week goes. Historically, I don’t think Patrick has played three-game weeks all the time and he has picked up a knock in training and is uncomfortable.
“The decision I had to make was whether it was worth risking him and he might be out for eight to ten weeks, or should we give him a breather in this game and let’s give someone else an opportunity.”
Roberts plays a significant role in Sunderland’s starting XI, so it’ll be a massive boost for Mowbray knowing that his star isn’t set for a long spell on the sidelines. The winger has made three goal contributions in eight league starts this season, and currently averages 2.5 dribbles and 1.3 shots per game (WhoScored).