Explained when each injured Sunderland player is expected to return to duty.
Before Sunderland’s match against Hull City on Friday night, here’s an update on every player who is currently injured and when they might be able to return.
Michael Beale is expected to name a similar squad, though Eliezer Mayenda and Timothée Pembélé are expected to return after playing 90 minutes in an impressive win over Nottingham Forest U21s on Monday night. Mayenda scored twice, bolstering his case for consideration as a potential impact substitute.
Roberts suffered a calf injury shortly before the new year, with scans indicating that the important winger would be sidelined for four to five weeks. Michael Beale indicated before the Ipswich defeat that he was still on schedule, leaving him out of at least the next two games.
He is currently a serious question for the trip to Middlesbrough early next month, but he may yet make it.
“Paddy will be out for the remainder of this month but we hope to have him back at some point in February,” Beale said on Monday.
Potential return date: Plymouth Argyle (H) February 10th
BRADLEY DACK
Dack is expected to be back in action not too longer after Roberts, having suffered a hamstring injury on his return to the side at Hull City on Boxing Day.
Beale gave an update ahead of the derby just over a week ago, saying: “Bradley has a hamstring injury that will be around four weeks at best, but that’s probably the best possible diagnosis that we could have got.”
Potential return date: Swansea City (H) February 24th
NIALL HUGGINS
Huggins suffered major ligament damage in the defeat to Coventry City and though the surgery was successful, Beale has confirmed that he will not play this year – a major blow for a player making a huge impression this season.
“It’s probably as bad as it could have been, to be honest,” said Beale.
“It’s going to be 12-to … I don’t want to put another number on it. He’s going to be out for more than year.
“The surgery was good, he’s been back in [to the Academy of Light] and we’ve all seen him. He was a boy that when I watched the team, from the outside before I came in, I was really excited to work with.
Potential return date: 2025
DENNIS CIRKIN
Cirkin has been ruled out for 12 weeks after undergoing surgery to solve the hamstring issues that so impacted his progress through the first half of the season. If all goes well that would lead him to return in mid-April, but given that he will need time to get back up to speed in terms of his match fitness, the defender is clearly facing a challenge to play a significant part again this season.
Potential return date: Millwall (H) April 20th
CORRY EVANS
Beale offered an update on the club captain this week, saying: “When I came in they said he was still a couple of months away. I’ve been in nearly four weeks so probably four or five weeks before he’s back with the team.”
Given the length of his absence, he is clearly facing a battle to feature again this season – though that does remain a possibility at this stage.
ELLIOT EMBLETON
Though Embleton’s loan at Derby County was officially brought to an end last week, Beale confirmed that the attacking midfielder is out running on his own at the Academy of Light and so is ‘not a million miles away’ from returning to training.
He has had a little football over the last year and so will need time to get up to speed, while competition for places in his preferred positions is also significant. Still, it seems likely we will see him again this season providing there are no complications in his rehab.
Potential return date: March 2024
