Habib Diarra

Diarra (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's clash against Brighton but is expected to be fully available next week, according to coach Regis Le Bris. "Habib is really close and in a good place. In around one week, he will be fully available."

Analysis: Diarra will miss another match as he continues his recovery from the hamstring injury sustained in August, though his return now appears to be approaching. The midfielder is expected to resume full availability next week, potentially putting him in contention for Sunderland's following fixture. He has yet to start a match this season, with Granit Xhaka and Noah Sadiki establishing themselves as regular starters in midfield during his absence. His minutes could initially be managed following the lengthy layoff.

Jul 1, 2026

Opens scoring

Diarra scored one goal to go with two shots (one on goal) and one chance created in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to Belgium.

Analysis: Diarra opened the scoring for Senegal with a well‑taken finish to give his side a 1-0 lead, but after he was substituted in the 73rd minute, Belgium struck back with three goals to bring his World Cup campaign to an abrupt end. Despite the loss, he made a meaningful impact across the tournament, earning back‑to‑back starts after initially coming off the bench against France and not featuring versus Norway, scoring in two consecutive matches while producing four shots and winning six duels, showing he could contribute effectively both as a substitute and in the starting lineup.