Sunderland manager Regis Le Bris has spoken to the press as he prepares to take on Nottingham Forest.
The last meeting between the two sides at the City Ground came in December 2017, with Sunderland recording a 1-0 victory in the Championship encounter.
Sunderland are up in seventh spot on eight points, and they are unbeaten in their last three in the Premier League after a fine start to life in the English top flight.
Diarra will not be rushed
Le Bris first spoke on Habib Diarra, who has been ruled out until December and could miss the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of next year.
"We will see. We know he will need time to properly recover now, without rushing the process, because he is a very young player.
"If we take care of him through the rehab process, he will be OK to help us in the future. Whether that is earlier or later than expected, we will see.
"Injuries are part of the journey. It gives opportunities to players who have had less game time. They are able to show their qualities and step up after working hard, so they deserve the opportunity even if it's through injury.
"I'm not worried about the situation. It's a shame because Habib (Diarra) was important for us, he has done well so far, but depth in the squad is still needed."
Forest are a dangerous opponent
Next, he commented on Forest who will have a new manager, Ange Postecoglou, take charge of his first home game at the City Ground this weekend.
"What we know about them is a strong squad with many threats...wingers, strikers. A dangerous opponent, that’s obvious. We won’t have gifts from them so we have to play our best football."
Rigg could play a bigger role
Questions then turned to Chris Rigg and how he could play a part in the side after helping them in the Championship last season.
"He played really well last season in the Championship, showed his qualities and his consistency. He was probably a bit exhausted at the end.
"He worked hard after his injury in pre-season so I wasn’t surprised by his performance last week. I wasn’t worried. He works hard every day, knows how we play and has talent.
"It was 35 minutes, so we need experience to see how he can play at that level. But I wasn’t surprised by his level. And now, we’ll see. Every game is a new experience and scenario.
"He’s well-rounded."
Postecoglou will need time
Le Bris then spoke on Postecoglou and admitted that he will need time to adapt at his new side as he comes into the game on the back of a 2-2 draw with Real Betis in the Europa League.
"He’ll need time but he’s a very proactive, offensive coach. With the players he has in this squad, he can use many different options. They are very impressive in the final third - it’ll be tough."
Are Mukiele and Alderete bargain buys?
Finally, he was asked if Nordi Mukiele and Omar Alderete were bargain buys after some impressive performances with the Black Cats.
"Price isn’t always connected with quality. Competition between clubs can make the fees crazy. The most important thing is the football value and these two guys showed good qualities on the pitch. They have been very consistent."