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£9m Sunderland star is finally in line for a start after Diarra injury blow

The news of Habib Diarra's injury comes at a bad time for Sunderland, but does present an opportunity for one star to step up.

Published: Thursday, 5 November 2026 at 7:40 AM
£9m Sunderland star is finally in line for a start after Diarra injury blow
Key Things to Know
  • Writer Tom Cunningham argues Sunderland should start £9m midfielder Jules Ahoka following Habib Diarra's injury blow.
  • Midfielder Habib Diarra is set to miss six weeks with a muscle injury, potentially spanning ten fixtures.
  • Sunderland are currently bottom of the Premier League after a recent defeat to Coventry City.
The Story in 60 Seconds

Football FanCast's Tom Cunningham argues that Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris should start £9m midfielder Jules Ahoka following a major injury blow to Habib Diarra. Diarra is expected to miss six weeks with a muscle injury, potentially ruling him out of up to ten matches across all competitions.

Cunningham notes that Sunderland currently sit bottom of the Premier League following a defeat to Coventry City. The writer contends that Ahoka, who has played just 25 league minutes since arriving from Royal Antwerp, should replace struggling 34-year-old midfielder Granit Xhaka in the starting lineup.

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