Regis Le Bris could surprise everyone at 7pm by dropping ‘really important’ star for play-off semi-final vs Coventry City

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The clash at Coventry City is imperative for Sunderland and their Premier League promotion aspirations, but Regis Le Bris could make one very bold call in his team selection.

Sunderland are set to face Coventry City on Friday evening in the Championship play-offs semi-final first leg affair at the CBS Arena.

On Thursday evening, Sheffield United beat Bristol City 3-0 in the opposite semi-final, putting one foot in the Wembley finale.

Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland travel to Coventry on the back of a five-game winless run that curtailed their season in disappointment, with history not in the Black Cats’ favour either.

Sunderland possess a barren head-to-head record against Coventry, and were beaten 3-0 by the Sky Blues in March thanks to a Haji Wright hat-trick.

Frank Lampard’s side will be a mammoth task for Sunderland, and despite Premier League status all there to play for, Le Bris could be set to leave one of the Black Cats’ best players this term on the bench.

• READ MORE: Frank Lampard states what Coventry City ‘can’t’ do vs Sunderland

Eliezer Mayenda could be left out of the Sunderland starting XI vs Coventry City

Eliezer Mayenda has been a revelation in the Championship this season, notching eight goals and five assists in 22 starts under Le Bris, in his first full second tier campaign.

Recently against the Robins, Mayenda scored a breathtaking goal of the season contender, in which he carried the ball 70 yards while evading five defenders to slot past Max O’Leary in Sunderland’s 2-1 defeat at Bristol City prior to the play-offs.

Of Mayenda’s stunning strike, via the Northern Echo, Le Bris said: “Eliezer showed in the last weeks that he’s able to score a goal like that.

“He can hold the ball, he showed many good qualities so far and he’s really important for us.

“He’s improved a lot. He’s really young but has showed his quality.”

Frenchman Wilson Isidor was one of the Championship’s best players earlier in the campaign, notching 12 goals and two assists on course for the golden boot.

However, Isidor has suffered a concerning goal drought, failing to find the net since his strike at Elland Road back in February.

Isidor’s barren run in front of goal over recent weeks, combined with Mayenda’s continued rise to prominence, left Le Bris with a striker selection dilemma in the closing stages of the Championship campaign, and this headache will carry over into the semi-final call.

However, speaking to the press ahead of Friday night’s clash, the Black Cats boss has dropped a major hint as to which one of his centre-forwards will get the nod at Coventry.

• READ MORE: Sunderland man responsible for shock Championship play-offs stat

Regis Le Bris drops selection hint for play-off semi-final vs Coventry City

Isidor has scored five more Championship goals this term than Mayenda, but has failed to find the net in his last 13 outings, with the latter starting the final day defeat to managerless QPR.

Given Mayenda’s goalscoring form compared to Isidor’s, it would be a very harsh call from Le Bris to drop the 19-year-old for the first leg at Coventry, but one he may be prepared to make.

Le Bris said this week to the press: “They are two different strikers, and it depends on the balance of the team.

“Sometimes, if we play with Pat (Patrick Roberts) and Enzo (Le Fee) out wide, we need a striker whose style is to run in behind to manage and stretch the lines.

“I think Wilson’s style fits these circumstances, Eli can do this, but he’s a little different, he likes the ball into feet and he can dribble. He’s not exactly the same profile.”

“It’s a question of form, but also of balance,”.

If Mayenda is harshly dropped for the CBS Arena visit, his presence as an impact substitute would still be a thorn in Coventry’s side, with his pace and physical prowess able to stretch the Sky Blues’ defence late on and help threaten on the counter-attack.