Sunderland vs Fulham Injury Report: Key Absences Ahead of Premier League Showdown
Fulham are set to return to action this Sunday with a challenging away match against Sunderland in the Premier League, as both teams aim to reignite their European qualification hopes. The Cottagers currently trail seventh place by six points, necessitating a strong and consistent run of results to secure a spot in European competitions this season.
Sunderland, positioned just two points ahead, share similar ambitions, making this encounter a potential six-pointer with minimal margin for error for either side. While Sunderland have struggled on the road, their home form at the Stadium of Light has been formidable, with only one loss all season, presenting a significant challenge for Fulham.
Early Injury Updates for Both Teams
Below is a comprehensive roundup of the latest injury news affecting Sunderland and Fulham ahead of their crucial Premier League fixture.
Fulham Injury Concerns
Bertrand Traore - Ruled Out
Manager Le Bris provided an update, stating, "Bertrand is similar to Granit Xhaka, almost three weeks. Something like that. It is symptom-driven, but they are both in a good place, so hopefully we will have good news in a few weeks." Traore is anticipated to return in March.
Granit Xhaka - Ruled Out
The same timeline applies to Xhaka, meaning the experienced midfielder will be sidelined for at least another week, missing the upcoming match.
Tom Cairney - Doubtful
Cairney may have a chance to feature. Silva commented last week, "It's too soon for Tom - nothing serious, a knock on the calf, but we have to be careful. After the first exam, we decided not to risk it." The midfielder could potentially be in contention for selection.
Sasa Lukic - Ruled Out
Silva's most recent update in early February indicated, "Just Sasa Lukic is not going to be in contention. It's going to be too soon; he's not even training with the team yet. It's going to be more weeks." Based on this, Lukic is expected to remain unavailable for another week or so, though he may be nearing a return.
Implications for the Match
With three players definitively ruled out and one doubtful, both teams face selection challenges that could impact their strategies and performance in this high-stakes Premier League clash. Fans and analysts will be closely monitoring these developments as kickoff approaches.
