Sunderland boss David Moyes has continuously overlooked Wahbi Khazri so far this season.
Sunderland boss David Moyes has told the Chronicle that he has seen a difference in Wahbi Khazri’s performances in training recently.
Moyes has continuously overlooked Khazri this season, much to Sunderland’s fans annoyance.
However, the Tunisian international was handed a start to chance in the Black Cats’ last match against West Ham United and he impressed.
Khazri was Sunderland’s most threatening attacking outlet, as Moyes’ men picked up a 2-2 draw against the London side.
And Moyes has suggested that Khazri could remain in his first-team plans for the rest of the season now.
“I’d seen a difference on the training ground [in the run-up to the game], but also I’d tried other alternatives to see if it would work,” Moyes said.
“The one thing I have always said to Wahbi is that if he can make the difference in a game, if he can keep the ball, if he can make the key pass, if he can create something that leads to opportunities, then that was what I wanted.
“It’s not that I’ve been asking him to run around any more, it was just that if he isn’t going to offer that then I need him to be creative.”
Khazri’s return to Sunderland’s first-team will go down well with supporters of the Wearsiders but it may be too little too late.
Sunderland are currently 12 points adrift of safety, with only six remaining to save themselves from relegation.
Sunderland are next in action later this evening, when they take on Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium.
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