The Black Cats welcome Paul Lambert’s Ipswich Town to the Stadium of Light and Tom Flanagan could be back in League One action.
Tom Flanagan could make a rare start for Sunderland on Saturday as Phil Parkinson’s side take on a badly out-of-form Ipswich Town, according to the Chronicle.
With the Black Cats hardly short of depth at centre-half, a Republic of Ireland international has found starts hard to come by of late.
Flanagan has only been included in Parkinson’s first XI twice since the turn of the year, eight times in 28 matches overall, with the most recent coming in the 4-0 thrashing of previous high-flyers Wycombe Wanderers on January 11.
But, with Joel Lynch missing due to a rib injury, the former Bolton boss is set to put his faith in Flanagan for the first time in over four weeks when Paul Lambert’s Ipswich arrive at the Stadium of Light.
“Tom has done well in that position, so I would have no hesitation in bringing him in – he’s been unfortunate not to be starting anyway,” said January’s Manager of the Month.
“If you go back a couple of home games, he scored a goal, put in very good performances, he’s been training well, and he is ready.”
Parkinson feels that Flanagan’s excellent reading of the game, and his tendency to step up and make interceptions high up the pitch, will allow wing-back Denver Hume to push forward, safe in the knowledge that he has the former Burton man mopping things up behind him.
Ipswich have won just one of their last five games with Lambert coming under fire following a shocking 4-1 home thrashing against Peterborough last time out. A Sunderland side with two goals in their last four games should be confident of creating chances aplenty against the stalling Tractor Boys.
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