Meunier (hamstring) will miss Sunday's Premier League clash against Bournemouth after failing to recover from the injury he sustained against Brighton, according to coach Regis Le Bris, per Phil Smith of the Sunderland Echo. "For Thomas, it's a no, definitive at the minute."
Analysis:Meunier suffered a hamstring injury during Saturday's 2-0 defeat to Brighton, forcing him off in the 34th minute before he subsequently missed Thursday's Europa League victory over SCU Torreense. Although manager Le Bris previously indicated that the injury was not considered serious, the Belgian remains unavailable for Sunday's matchup against Bournemouth, extending his absence to a second consecutive match. Meunier has recently been deployed on the right side of Sunderland's attack, meaning his continued absence could create additional opportunities for Malick Fofana, who replaced him against Brighton, although Trai Hume could also be pushed into a more advanced role. With no definitive return date established, Meunier's availability beyond Sunday will depend on his recovery progress.
