Journalist Joe Nicholson has admitted he expects Sunderland trio Lynden Gooch, Aji Alese and Dennis Cirkin to return this weekend.
Sunderland are set to make their return to top-level football when they welcome Millwall to the Stadium of Light in what will be the first Championship game since the World Cup brought a halt to their season.
Prior to the winter break, Sunderland had won just twice in six games, so their form was certainly patchy to say the least – though the break will have come at a very good time, especially for the injured players.
Nicholson has claimed on The Roar podcast that Tony Mowbray could be handed major boosts this weekend with the returns of Gooch, Alese and Cirkin to the first-team side.
He said: “We think a couple of other Sunderland players who were out injured could be back – the likes of Lynden Gooch, Aji Alese… Dennis Cirkin, we think they’re going to be back.”
Will Sunderland beat Millwall?
Yes!
No!
TIF Thoughts on this Sunderland injury boost…
Ever since Mowbray arrived at the Stadium of Light to replace Alex Neil, he’s had to deal with a whole load of injuries to key players such as Gooch, Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart, so it will be a huge boost to finally get some first-team players back.
This is mainly because the club’s form at the start of the season was promising, as when players were fit and firing, they were challenging the top teams within the Championship, so a second half of the season push for the play-offs could yet be within reach.
Mowbray may not be so willing to throw all his returning players straight into the starting lineup in case they pick up recurring knocks and niggles, which could then force them to spend more time on the sidelines, so it’s certainly going to be a fine balancing act.