Alex Neil has given an encouraging update on Alex Pritchard following the midfielder's weekend injury. Pritchard limped out of Sunderland's goalless draw at Charlton Athletic after twisting his ankle and head coach Neil said in the immediate aftermath of the game that 'it did not look good' and he feared he could be without his influential playmaker for an extended spell.
The 28-year-old has had a scan to determine the extent of the injury and, while Sunderland are still waiting for the results, Neil has now said it appears the problem is not as bad as he initially thought, although he will not be fit to face Fleetwood at the Stadium of Light tomorrow night. "Immediately, Alex will not be available for the short term," said Neil.
"We will get more news on the scan this evening and I don't think it's as bad as first feared because the swelling isn't as bad as we expected, so hopefully that's a good sign." Luke O'Nien is edging closer to a return affter recovering from the shoulder operation he underwent in November.
The midfielder travelled with the squad to Charlton on Saturday and took part in the warm-up, although he was not named on the teamsheet. Jermain Defoe missed the Charlton game with a minor niggle and he could be involved against Fleetwood.
Neil said: "Luke was in the [travelling] squad for the last game, but he hadn't done much so naturally he is one step closer, and JD [Defoe], who obviously missed out [on Saturday] with a niggle, has the potential to be involved." Centre-back Danny Batth has been struggling with an ankle problem ever since he arrived in the January transfer window and he has been absent recently, but Neil is hopeful that the former Stoke man will soon be back in contention.
"It has been a slow burner," said Neil of Batth's situation. "He's tried to come back on two separate occasions and on both we have probably made the situation a little bit worse – hence the reason why he's been out for this length of time – but it's not anything severe and hopefully over the next week it should start to clear up and we can hopefully get him going."
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