Jobe Bellingham problem can unlock the best of one Sunderland star for Regis Le Bris

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Sunderland’s hopes of promotion took a dent as they lost late in an important clash against Leeds United on Monday evening.

The Black Cats had an opportunity to close in on those automatic promotion places, following an indifferent patch of form that has had them drop off the pace slightly.

For Regis Le Bris, it started in ideal fashion at Elland Road as Wilson Isidor bypassed Ethan Ampadu with ease before slotting home an opener to stun the home fans.

The second half was a different story for Sunderland though, as Pascal Struijk struck in the 78th and 95th minute to send Leeds fans into rapturous scenes.

In the end, it was a six-point swing dropped and it left the side with plenty left to do to gain promotion, with little time left to do it in.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
1	LeedsLeeds	33	21	9	3	68	20	48	72
2	Sheff UtdSheffield Utd	33	22	6	5	47	23	24	70
3	BurnleyBurnley	33	17	14	2	39	9	30	65
4	SunderlandSunderland	33	17	11	5	50	30	20	62
5	BlackburnBlackburn	33	15	6	12	39	31	8	51
6	West BromWest Brom	33	11	15	7	42	31	11	48

Sunderland now have another issue when it comes to the availability of Jobe Bellingham in the upcoming Championship fixtures.

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Jobe Bellingham nears yellow card suspension for Sunderland

In Sunderland’s defeat to Leeds, there was a fresh concern for Jobe Bellingham as the midfielder picked up another booking.

That took his tally up to eight for the season, meaning he is now closing in on a two-match suspension in the weeks ahead.

Just two more yellow cards would take Bellingham past the ten mark for the campaign, triggering the automatic suspension.

Given the box-to-box nature of the 19-year-old, it seems almost inevitable that he will be walking that tightrope for a little while.

With some more favourable fixtures around the corner, it may not be the worst time for Bellingham to get that suspension out of the way in the near future.

On top of that, it presents Le Bris with a perfect chance to unlock one star in a different position in the weeks ahead.

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Enzo Le Fee could be handed new Sunderland position

Sunderland shocked much of the Championship when they landed Enzo Le Fee on loan from AS Roma in January.

The 25-year-old has featured on the biggest stages and can help bring that quality to the north east in his spell with the club.

However, since his arrival, he has largely been used as a left-midfielder, scoring once and assisting once in his seven appearances so far.

The majority of his career, though, has been played as a central midfielder which may offer a more comfortable place to play.

Le Fee could, in theory, be handed a chance there if Bellingham receives a two-game ban in the coming weeks.

With the quality the Frenchman possesses, playing in a central role could make all the difference for Sunderland in their push for promotion this season.