Sunderland: Corry Evans and Elliot Embleton latest

Corry Evans hasn’t played for Sunderland in almost a year, but the

captain of the squad hasn’t returned to training with the first team and isn’t

expected to play again until at least the middle of February.

The 33-year-old had a catastrophic knee injury during the home team’s victory over Middlesbrough in late January of last year.

 

He’s already back in light training with the club’s medical staff at the Academy of Light but head coach Michael Beale understands Sunderland will have to continue to tread lightly with the midfielder – who is reaching the end of his contract – after such a long spell out of action.

“Corry is a little bit away,” Beale reported.

 

“They told me he was still a few months away when I got in. Since I haven’t seen him in almost four weeks, it will likely take him four or five weeks to rejoin the squad.

 

“It was undoubtedly a long-term injury, and there are usually one or two aches and pains after recovering.

“He’s out working in isolation with the sports science department but he’s not going to be unavailable to play any time soon.”

 

Elliot Embleton is another player increasing his level of fitness and undergoing rehabilitation. Prior to joining Derby on loan earlier in the season, the midfield player sustained a significant thigh injury that necessitated surgery. This week marked the official end of the Derby swap, and Beale stated he hopes Embleton will still be involved for Sunderland in the second half of the campaign.

The head coach of Sunderland stated, “He doesn’t seem like he’s a million miles away from rejoining the group.”

 

He is one of the individuals that works with the performance team to ensure

that he receives the greatest possible rehabilitation.

He’s back here now that his loan from Derby has come to an end, and we’ll

evaluate him further whenever he’s ready to go.

 

“He’s obviously a boy who knows this club and knows what it takes to play for

this club, so I’ve no doubt that he’s going to be chomping at the bit to contribute.”

Sunderland will try to recover from their defeat in the derby against Ipswich last

week tonight (5.30pm). Despite their incredible comeback to the

Championship, the Tractor Boys have lost all five of their games and now trail

Southampton, who are in third position, by just three points.

 

Beale stated: “If you have a bunch of players that have the bounce of

promotion and the confidence, you can keep running with it, similar to ourselves last year.

 

“They’ve been having some injury problems lately, and the Championship

can sometimes wear you down. I’ve had a lot of experience with Kieran McKenna as a coach; our paths have intersected.

“From the outside looking in I’ve been willing him to do really well but that will stop on Saturday. But it’s great to see a young coach doing well and I’m happy for him and for Ipswich. They’re a club like us who spent too much time in League One.”

 

SUNDERLAND PROBABLE XI: Patterson, Hume, Ballard, O’Nien, Alese; Ekwah, Pritchard, Bellingham, Neil, Clarke; Rusyn