Sunderland could have Habib Diarra back in the matchday picture within three weeks, giving Regis Le Bris a timely midfield lift before a demanding October schedule.
The Northern Echo reports that Diarra will undergo a scan to confirm his hamstring recovery remains on course. Le Bris said: “Habib is in a good place, healing really well.”
The head coach added that the assessment will determine whether the midfielder needs “two or three weeks to get ready for competition.”
Diarra was injured after making an impact from the bench in the home win over Fulham, stopping a promising start to his campaign. He had featured as a substitute in Sunderland’s opening two Premier League matches before the setback.
A return around the Brighton fixture would put the 21-year-old in contention for a hectic run that includes trips to Torreense, Bournemouth and Lech Poznan, plus Brentford’s Carabao Cup visit.
Sunderland face seven games in October. Le Bris will want Diarra’s energy and ball-carrying ability available as the Black Cats look to turn encouraging displays into points.
