GIVEN Sunderland's quite brilliant start to the Championship season, it shouldn't come as any surprise to hear Regis Le Bris categorically rule out any significant tactical alterations in the coming weeks - regardless of any suspension or injury setbacks.

Le Bris has proven his tactical acumen in the early stages of the season, making telling tweaks before and during games. But he hasn't shifted from his preferred shape and structure of a back four with three midfielders and two wide attackers supporting the striker.

And that won't change any time soon.

The return of Dan Ballard and absence of Jobe Bellingham for the next three games led to Le Bris being quizzed on whether a shift to a back three is a possibility.

The answer was pretty emphatic.

"I don't think so," he said, ahead of Sunderland's trip to Preston on Wednesday night.

"I explained that idea before. We built a system with strong foundations and I don't want to change the structure too early.

"We have good references. We can change during some phases the shape if we need to solve a problem, we can use a back five with a midfielder for example because it's needed during the game.

"But we'll work on the back four, I don't know the scenario of the season, but it's better to play like that at the minute because we have so much to do to get better and progress."

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Bellingham's suspension follows the draw at QPR where Sunderland had to cope without Chris Rigg. And with several players one yellow card away from a ban, there's every chance Le Bris will be forced into further personnel changes in the coming weeks.

It is, the head coach admits, a new challenge having been able to keep a largely settled starting XI in the very early weeks of the campaign.

He said: "I agree. We kept probably 11 or 12 players together to start the different games.

"Now we will have higher rotation in the squad but for me it's not a problem. In a long season like the Championship we have to manage probably 16 or 17 or 18 players for the core of the team.

"We are ready to manage that situation. We have to find new references because a new player with his own style and experience is different. We'll have to adjust to find the right balance but we can't think we can play with 11 or 12 players the whole season. It's normal."

Wednesday's opponents Preston were beaten 3-1 on home turf by Bristol City last time out but have improved since the appointment of Paul Heckingbottom and were unbeaten in five prior to the weekend defeat.

They remain just a couple of places above the relegation zone but Le Bris says Saturday's tough game at QPR proved the league table matters little at this stage of the season.

He said: "Every team is proactive, so even if you're at the bottom of the table the teams don't wait for mistakes, they try to push or use man to man marking or use direct play.

"It's not a passive opponent and I'm sure Preston won't be passive against us. They can manage man to man marking, they are strong and intense. It's another challenge after Luton and QPR, we'll see if we learnt from those experiences."

SUNDERLAND PROBABLE XI: Moore, Hume, Mepham, O'Nien, Cirkin; Neil, Rigg, Browne; Roberts, Mundle, Isidor