Brian Brobbey anguish, Kevin Danso shines: Sunderland's international break winners and losers
Sunderland's national team stars have experienced mixed fortunes while away from Wearside over the last three weeks.
Regis Le Bris' squad needed some time off after a tough 5-3 defeat to Man City last time out in the Premier League.
As many as 12 of his first-team stars headed off to feature for their respective countries for the first extended international break of the new footballing calendar.
The majority of those players are now back on Wearside and preparing for the visit of Brighton on Saturday.
Trai Hume is one of those after impressing for Northern Ireland, but his international teammate Dan Ballard endured a nightmare break away from Sunderland.
Football Insider have picked out three winners and three losers from the Black Cats squad over the last three weeks of action.
Trai Hume was solid as a rock in Northern Ireland's unbeaten streak
Hume did not miss a minute of action as Northern Ireland emerged with eight points from their first four 2026-27 Nations League B fixtures.
The Black Cats full-back impressed as he made the second-most defensive contributions (30) for his country, picked up an assist, and was handed the captain's armband on two occasions.
Kevin Danso enjoyed a similar time away with Austria, playing the full 90 in three of their four NL fixtures, including both wins over Kosovo and Israel.
The Tottenham loanee has impressed since joining Sunderland and will be expecting to keep his place in the starting eleven after Ballard's blow.
Wilson Isidor has returned to Wearside as Sunderland's only fit senior striker after registering two goals and two assists in four Haiti appearances.
While he will be concerned for his teammate, Brian Brobbey, his injury blow picked up away on Netherlands duty has left an in-form Isidor with the chance to impress from the off against Brighton.
Brobbey and Ballard among losers after respective injury concerns
Brobbey will be rueing his time with the Netherlands, after picking up a hamstring injury just 35 minutes into their first fixture of the break against Germany.
Le Bris has confirmed that he only faces another week on the sidelines, but Mexx Meerdink and Joshua Zirkzee each scored for the Oranje in his absence and Isidor could impress this weekend.
Ballard's aforementioned blow also came in his country's first game of the round, as he suffered a hamstring strain against Georgia on 25 September.
The 27-year-old is confirmed to be facing several weeks out, with Le Bris left to contend without his main centre-back and the Northern Irishman rushing to recover as quickly as possible.
Robin Roefs joined Brobbey in the Netherlands squad, but failed to make his way onto the pitch across their four Nations League games.
He will have surely felt confident of some game time, up against fellow PL keeper Bart Verbruggen, but Xavi clearly rates the Brighton stopper more than his Black Cats counterpart.