Nathan Broadhead, Luke O'Nien, and Aiden McGeady are making good progress as they recover from long-term injuries - but are 'weeks away rather than days' from returning, according to new Sunderland boss Alex Neil.
Winger McGeady and midfielder O'Nien have not played since Sunderland's game at Shrewsbury Town on November 23, with the former suffering a medial ligament injury while the latter underwent surgery to fix a recurring dislocated shoulder.
On-loan Everton striker Broadhead's last outing was the Carabao Cup quarter-final at Arsenal the week before Christmas when he suffered a torn hamstring.
All three are back working on the grass, but they are still some way away from returning to action.
"At the moment, Luke is doing non-contact work out on the grass," Neil said this morning, ahead of his first home game in charge of the Black Cats against MK Dons tomorrow.
"Aiden has been out on the grass but because it is a medial [ligament] type injury, what happens is that it niggles and lingers a little bit - it's not one of those that, when it heals, it's gone.
"This is the niggly period before he is fully-fit to play.
Nathan is back at Everton getting treatment on his hamstring but I'm led to believe that he is on the grass as well, so he is making good progress.
"Unfortunately they will certainly be weeks away rather than days."
Defender Danny Batth missed Neil's first game at the helm at AFC Wimbledon last weekend after rolling his ankle in training, but he has joined in training at the Academy of Light this week and could be in contention this weekend.
But Lynden Gooch, who has sat out the last two games with a calf problem, is rated only 'touch and go' to be involved against MK Dons.
Neil said: "Danny has been joining in [training] this week, for the last couple of days.
"Goochy I'm not sure is going to make it - he's touch and go at the moment."
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