Jermain Defoe’s long-awaited return could prove to be a timely boost for Sunderland’s hopes of earning promotion back into the Championship.
The Black Cats’ season has stagnated somewhat and the patience of the board came to a head in the crushing 6-0 defeat to Bolton on Saturday.
Lee Johnson was relieved of his duties as the manager with Sunderland out of the automatic promotion places behind Rotherham and Wigan who both have games-in-hand.
