Regis Le Bris must make this big Sunderland AFC decision v Sheffield United at Wembley - It's a no brainer | OneFootball

Regis Le Bris must make a huge call for Sunderland with the dropping of Patrick Roberts for Romain Mundle in the Championship play-off final.

Sunderland pulled off a dramatic victory against Coventry City at the Stadium of Light to ensure they have reached the final of this season’s Championship play-offs, but Regis Le Bris has a big tactical call to make ahead of the final against Sheffield United at Wembley Stadium.

The Black Cats defeated Frank Lampard’s Coventry by two goals to one in the first-leg of their semi-final tie at the Coventry Building Society Arena, with Eliezer Mayenda punishing a Milan van Ewijk mistake late on after Wilson Isidor and Jack Rudoni had exchanged goals mid-way through the second-half.

Then, in a tense and nervy second-leg upon Wearside, Lampard’s Coventry got themselves ahead on the night in the second-half via former Peterborough United man Ephron Mason-Clark, and were knocking on the door the most to get themselves an aggregate winner.

However, in stoppage-time of the second-half of extra-time, Northern Ireland international centre-back contorted his body enough to head in off the crossbar to send Le Bris’ side through to Wembley.

There will be a concern for the Lorient boss, though, as, despite his gamble on Ballard more than paying off over the two legs, his loyalty to Patrick Roberts is perhaps now wearing thin, and a decision should be taken for the final.

Romain Mundle should come in for Roberts

Roberts has been something of a stalwart in the Sunderland eleven throughout this campaign, with 38 starts and seven substitute appearances in the Championship's regular season before starting both matches of their play-off semi-final against the Sky Blues.

However, his performances against Coventry were perhaps reflective of a player that is either short on confidence or just out of form as he struggled to ever get himself into the game at all.

The man who should step in for him in the play-off final is Mundle, who enjoyed an extremely impressive start to the campaign before injuries hit.

In contrast to Roberts, who, given the amount of game time, should be in some rhythm but isn't, Mundle came off the bench and looked sharp, providing a spark for Sunderland against Coventry when he was introduced in extra-time of the second-leg, offering an incision and urgency to what had previously been a lacklustre performance.

Mundle notched three goals in the opening five games of the campaign and there is a belief that the 22-year-old’s directness and incision down the flanks would be more preferable against an obdurate Blades defence.

Trust in Roberts but gambling on Mundle

Le Bris has trusted Roberts throughout the season and with that comes the bonus that he will know the bare minimum work rate and overall standard that the 28-year-old attacker will provide at Wembley; whereas Mundle, especially having just returned from injury, is more of an unknown.

However, Roberts' performance level and overall output has steadily dropped off as the season has gone on, with five direct goal involvements by Boxing Day, already on the low side, being followed by no goals and just two assists in his final 23 appearances this season.

Mundle provides a threat in behind that Roberts perhaps can not and that will most likely frighten Chris Wilder and Sheffield United a little more in a game that is already expected to be stifled and cautious, as is often the case in a play-off final. The added fact he may come up against Harrison Burrows if he replaces Roberts on Sunderland's right means that Le Bris might be pinning back one of Sheffield United's most consistent attacking contributors.

Given that, Mundle’s ability to stretch the defence and provide a point of difference in what will be a tight encounter in London means Le Bris must surely make the big decision to drop the former Manchester City and Celtic attacker.