Ahead of Sunderland’s upcoming fixtures against Oxford United and Queens Park Rangers in the Championship, the team is facing a triple threat in terms of disciplinary concerns. Following their narrow victory against Luton Town, Régis Le Bris’ squad finds themselves in a precarious situation as three key players are treading a disciplinary tightrope.
In a gripping encounter at Kenilworth Road, Chris Rigg opened the scoring for Sunderland in the second half, only to be booked for a late challenge on his Luton counterpart. This caution marked Rigg’s fourth of the season, putting him in danger of facing a suspension if he receives another yellow card before the 19th game of the season.
Adding to Sunderland’s worries, Jobe Bellingham also received his fourth yellow card of the season during a post-match altercation that involved players and coaching staff from both sides. The midfielder’s disciplinary record now mirrors that of Rigg, as they both risk missing crucial games if they are booked again.
Meanwhile, Trai Hume, the team’s right-back, has been on four yellow cards since the match against Middlesbrough at the Stadium of Light five games ago. Despite managing to avoid being booked in the recent game against Luton Town, Hume remains on thin ice and must exercise caution to avoid suspension.
The stakes are high for these three players as any further disciplinary infractions in the upcoming match against Oxford United could result in them missing the subsequent game against Queens Park Rangers. With the top spot in the league on the line, Sunderland’s players must navigate their disciplinary tightropes carefully to ensure they remain available for the crucial fixtures ahead.
