ABDOULLAH BA and Adil Aouchiche are set to come in from the cold when Sunderland head to Millwall this weekend.

The midfield duo were not involved in last night’s Under-21s victory over Tamworth in the National League Cup, suggesting they are likely to feature in the matchday squad at the Den on Saturday as Regis Le Bris attempts to deal with a host of absentees.

Trai Hume, Jobe Bellingham and Patrick Roberts are all unavailable for the Millwall game as they are serving suspensions.

And to further complicate matters in midfield, Alan Browne and Romaine Mundle are also doubts ahead of the weekend after suffering injuries in the 2-2 draw with Coventry City that preceded the international break.

Le Bris will have to completely reshape his midfield and attack at the weekend, which is likely to mean Ba and Aouchiche returning to the squad after they did not feature in the matchday group against Coventry.

Aouchiche’s sole Championship appearance this season came as a late substitute in August’s 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday, while Ba has not played a single minute of league football this term, with his only senior outing having come in the Carabao Cup defeat at Preston.

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They are likely to be substitutes at the Den, although it is not inconceivable that they could be needed in the starting line-up if both Browne and Mundle are forced to sit out.

Harrison Jones was also absent from Under-21 duty on Tuesday, suggesting he could also be part of the squad that takes on Millwall. However, Zak Johnson, Ben Crompton and Jewison Bennette played against Tamworth, which means they are much less likely to be involved in senior action on Saturday.

Sunderland’s youngsters impressed against National League opposition on Tuesday, winning 5-1 thanks to a brace from Trey Ogunsuyi and further goals from Crompton, Tommy Lavery and Jaydon Jones.

Ogunsuyi, a 17-year-old Belgian, has scored eight goals in all competitions, with his performances having increased the likelihood of him being promoted into the senior group at some stage this season. Alternatively, there have been suggestions that he could be sent out on loan in January in order to gain some senior experience.

“We want to get into competitions like this (the National League Cup) where we expose the players to multiple different challenges,” said Under-21s boss Graeme Murty. “I think some of them are ready for the step of playing against men.

“We don’t want to lose any of them, obviously, but we’re also conscious that we have to do what’s right for their careers, and we have to give them that next learning opportunity.”