Sunderland can't afford slip as already hampered team facing major selection problem

Three Sunderland players are walking a disciplinary tightrope as they head into Championship battle with West Bromwich Albion on Tuesday night.

Absentees are hampering head coach Regis Le Bris, with injuries to Alan Browne and Romaine Mundle having a detrimental impact while Trai Hume, Jobe Bellingham and Patrick Roberts all missed the 1-1 draw at Millwall.

While those three suspended players are all available against West Brom, Bellingham remains just a single yellow card away from a one-match ban – having just served a three-match suspension which ran into more than three weeks because it played out over the international break.

READ MORE: Sunderland may have lost Championship lead but Regis Le Bris knows one huge positive remains

READ MORE: Sunderland's Chris Rigg 'bound for top club' as Newcastle United told why it won't be them

In addition, influential defender Chris Mepham moved to the brink of a one-game ban at The Den on Saturday.
Mepham was forced into a challenge as Sunderland looked to protect their lead against Millwall and was shown his fourth yellow card as a result. One more in the coming three games will earn him a suspension, with the cut-off coming after 19 games of the campaign.

The defender is one of three players on four yellows. Chris Rigg is the third and Le Bris will be hoping he has no more disciplinary concerns as he tries to get his team back on the winning trail.

The Black Cats have picked up just four points from their last 12 and have been overtaken at the top of the table by Leeds United.
There are few concerns of any additional suspension risks before the cut off, though, unless there is another red card, because Wilson Isidor the only other player who could theoretically earn a ban as he currently has two yellow cards for the season.

Le Bris does have strong options in the centre of defence if Mepham does pick up a ban, with Dan Ballard and Aji Alese now both fully fit and performing impressively in the 1-1 draw at Millwall. Dennis Cirkin is expected to be back from a wrist injury before long.