As Sunderland prepares to host Plymouth Argyle at the Stadium of Light this weekend, boss Regis Le Bris is keen on ensuring his side secures a second consecutive Championship victory. A win would extend Sunderland’s unbeaten run to five games, a solid foundation as they continue to climb the table. Despite Plymouth’s poor form, with no wins in their last 14 Championship outings, Le Bris will be cautious and aware of the threats they still possess, particularly from two players who could shape the course of the match.

Darko Gyabi, a key figure in Plymouth’s midfield, is the first player Le Bris must keep a close watch on. While Gyabi’s goal contributions have been modest this season, with just two assists, his passing and creative ability make him an important player for Plymouth. At just 20 years old, Gyabi has proven to be a capable distributor of the ball, achieving a passing accuracy of 83% overall, and impressively maintaining a 79% passing accuracy in the opposition half. These stats are noteworthy for a player from a team languishing near the bottom of the table, as they show his potential to unlock opposition defenses and provide key passes. Gyabi is capable of dictating the tempo of Plymouth’s game and could be crucial in any attacking plays they manage to string together. Therefore, Le Bris must ensure that Sunderland closes him down quickly and doesn’t allow him the space to work his magic, especially if he is in good form on the day.

On the flip side, Ryan Hardie is a player that Le Bris can look to exploit, given his lack of form this season. Hardie, who plays as a striker for Plymouth, has struggled to make an impact in the Championship, netting just once despite an expected goals (xG) value of 3.59. This suggests that Hardie has had several opportunities but has failed to convert them into goals. His poor finishing has been compounded by his tendency to miss key chances, with four big chances gone to waste this season. Moreover, Hardie’s involvement in Plymouth’s play has been minimal, averaging just 3.5 passes per game, which highlights his lack of contribution to the build-up play. With these statistics, Hardie seems to be a non-factor in Plymouth’s offensive setup, and Sunderland should have little trouble containing him. Le Bris could use this to his advantage, allowing his team to press forward more aggressively, knowing that Hardie is unlikely to be a significant threat in attack. Sunderland’s defenders will likely feel confident in limiting Hardie’s influence and can focus on cutting off any supply to him from Gyabi and others.

While Plymouth’s recent form has been dire, these two players could still impact the game in different ways. Gyabi has the potential to be a creative spark, capable of causing problems if given too much time on the ball, while Hardie’s struggles this season make him an easy target for Sunderland’s defense. Le Bris will likely set up his team to maintain high pressure on Gyabi, while taking advantage of Hardie’s difficulties in front of goal. By minimizing Gyabi’s influence and capitalizing on Hardie’s current lack of form, Sunderland could comfortably come away with another victory, making it two wins on the bounce and continuing their unbeaten run in the Championship.