Luke O'Nien

O'Nien has played across the back line and through central midfield during his years at Sunderland, adapting to each role rather than complaining about being shifted around. He wins the physical battles a converted defender is supposed to lose and reads danger quickly enough that his lack of a settled position rarely shows. That flexibility made him valuable long before he was handed the captaincy, since a squad always needs someone willing to fill a gap.

The trade-off is that a player asked to cover so many positions never gets to fully specialise in one, and Premier League opponents are quick to exploit any hesitation in an unfamiliar role. He compensates with effort and organisation rather than the raw attributes a specialist might bring. Watch which position Le Bris trusts him in most, because that choice says plenty about squad depth elsewhere.