SUNDERLAND have been rocked by a major fresh injury blow, with Habib Diarra facing between six and eight weeks on the sidelines.
It's a huge setback for the midfielder, who suffered an injury disrupted first campaign on Wearside but had made an encouraging start to the season.
Diarra came off the bench in the weekend win over Fulham and made a major impact but was then forced off with a hamstring injury, which Regis Le Bris has now confirmed is relatively serious.
It means Diarra looks set to be out of action until mid-October at the earliest and will miss a string of games, including, it appears, at least two European fixtures.
Le Bris said: "It’s a shame because I was so pleased with his pre-season and he’s getting more mature about his game, about clarity on the pitch, about his qualities and how they fit with the demands of the Premier League.
"The proof was against Fulham. When he came on the pitch, he was a beast and changed the pace of the game.
"He will wait, I think, six to eight weeks with his new injury, so it’s a shame, but it is what it is, and we’ll take care of him until early October."
Le Bris added: "We are frustrated, he is frustrated, so it is what it is and we need to accept it."
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