HIS side might have one of the best defensive records in the Championship, but Regis Le Bris expects Sunderland to become even more secure at the back as key players continue to return.

The Black Cats kept their third clean sheet in the space of five matches as they played out a goalless draw with West Brom on Tuesday evening.

Trai Hume returned from suspension to held shut out the Baggies, with Aji Alese also continuing his comeback from a lengthy injury absence as he came off the bench in the second half.

Dennis Cirkin should be returning from an injury issue of his own soon, and with Dan Ballard back to full fitness and Chris Mepham having impressed since making a summer loan move from Bournemouth, Le Bris is spoiled for choice when it comes to his defensive options.

Picking a starting side to face promotion rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane tomorrow night will not be easy, but with seven more games to play before the end of the year, Le Bris is relieved to have such a deep pool of defensive talent.

“Yes, it is tough decisions, but for me, it’s a good problem,” said the Sunderland boss, whose side have now claimed five draws in a row. “The next part, December and January, will be crazy, so we need many players to keep the level of the team.

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“If we can repeat games like that with good depth, I think it's very important to be competitive.

“It's clear for the players. They have experienced this league so they know that with long sequences of three games in a week, we will need everyone available.

“They can be frustrated when they're on the bench, but they know the next game, it's possible they'll play. For us in the dressing room, we don't have a problem with that.”