After fully recovering from a knee injury in 2013 that kept him out for all of the 2013-14 Premier League season, Sebastián Coates was able to represent his country in the 2014 World Cup. Could he win a spot in the team next season?
The 24 year old Uruguayan was sent on loan to Sunderland for the entire season on 1st September 2014. It will be the second season in a row that Liverpool fans will not see Coates put on the Liverpool shirt.
The centre back spent the second half of last season on loan at Nacional in Uruguay, the club he joined when he was eleven years old. This decision allowed Coates to get some matches before he tried out for the Uruguayan team that would be competing in the World Cup. The loan was a success for Coates because he made the final roster for Uruguay. He was brought onto the pitch in the 88th minute in a group stage match against England, in order to preserve a 2-1 lead for La Celeste.
His first appearance for Sunderland came on 3rd December 2014 in a league match at home against Manchester City. Coates started at centre back and played the entire match in the 4-1 home defeat. For the first Manchester City goal, Coates stepped off his line to challenge Sergio Agüero, who proceeded to nutmeg Coates and score from just inside the box. None of the other three goals were his fault, but Agüero embarrassed Coates that game.
His next appearance came before Boxing Day in a 1-0 victory in the Tyne-Wear derby at Newcastle. He played a solid match against a rampant Newcastle side, even though he picked up a yellow card in the second minute of the match. His third appearance came in a 3-1 home defeat to Hull City, in which he started and played the entire match. Coates was poor on and off the ball. The third goal was partly his fault because he was out of position. His most recent appearance came at a 3-2 away defeat to Manchester City. Coates was brought on in the 78th minute, but he did not affect the match too much.
Over his four appearances for Sunderland in all competitions since his arrival in September 2014, Coates has racked up 282 minutes of playing time (a little over three full matches).
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet brought in his fellow countryman to further strengthen an already sturdy Sunderland defence. However, Sunderland currently sit one point above the drop zone after a 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool. Coates could well be a deciding factor in whether Sunderland avoid relegation this season.
