From Etihad hero to dark prognosis! Bad news for Sunderland's hat-trick star
A week ago he was the toast of English football, scoring a hat-trick at the Etihad. Now Sunderland are facing a genuine nightmare over their most important player.
Details: Brian Brobbey's hamstring injury, suffered in the first half of the Netherlands' 1:1 draw with Germany on September 24, is very serious, according to former PSV doctor Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband. Speaking to Sportnieuws, the prominent Dutch medical expert called the injury a typical example of overuse, squarely blaming the relentless modern calendar: It's like trying to mop up water with the tap still running, because players simply do not get the rest they need.
The timing could hardly be crueller. Just four days before limping off in Amsterdam, Brobbey produced the performance of his life, scoring all three Sunderland goals in a sensational 5:3 defeat at Manchester City that instantly made him the most talked about striker in England. He had to be replaced after 35 minutes in Xavi's first game in charge, with Joshua Zirkzee called up as his replacement, and he will sit out the entire rest of the international window. His club are already counting the cost: Sunderland returned from the break without two more key men in Romaine Mundle and Habib Diarra, while Dan Ballard picked up a hamstring issue of his own on Northern Ireland duty. And the schedule ahead is unforgiving: Regis Le Bris' side face Brighton on October 10, then a Europa League trip to Torreense, Bournemouth away, Lech Poznan and a packed October that the doctor's words suggest is exactly the problem. Van den Hoogenband's broader warning was ominous: I hold my breath. I fear that many more will follow.
It's worth noting that Brobbey joined Sunderland from Ajax last year and is under contract until 2029, with Transfermarkt valuing him at around 40 million euros. Manchester United have been monitoring him as a January option, though Sunderland insist their man is not for sale, whoever is fit to watch the games.
Reminder: Tottenham finished? Club leader suffers injury on international duty
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
