Dennis Cirkin is set to make his return to Sunderland's Championship campaign this weekend as Tony Mowbray looks to add more physicality to his side. Defender Cirkin has been out of action with a hamstring problem for over a month, but was brought back into Sunderland's matchday squad for last weekend's defeat at Swansea City - although he was an unused substitute in South Wales.
He then played the full 90 minutes of Monday night's U21 game against Leeds United on Wearside, and now Mowbray has indicated that he will be involved against Wigan Atletic on Saturday, although whether that is from the bench or as part of the starting XI remains to be seen. With strikers Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms still injured, Mowbray has been concerned at Sunderland's lack of height and physicality when defending set-plays and Wigan - who can call upon the likes of Josh Magennis, Will Keane, and ex-Black Cat Charlie Wyke - could try to exploit that.
At just under 6ft, Cirkin is no giant but he does bring some additional presence to the side. "Physicality is really important, but I don't really want to talk too much about our physicality - or the lack of it - because other teams all watch [Sunderland's games], they can see," said Mowbray.
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"It is a frustration. We talk about Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms and the potential goals that we have been missing, but they are also massive in our own box defending set-plays.
"We've been conceding a lot of corners and throw-ins. In my opinion, that's because we've got a lack of physicality to deal with it and then, eventually like Swansea the other day, they score from one.
"It's a wide free-kick, it comes in the box, it's headed back in, there's a melee and it's in your net. You can't stop them putting the ball in the box from a free-kick, so if you haven't got the means to head it out time after time, it becomes an issue.
"Dennis isn't 6ft 3in but he has got physicality, he has got strength, he wants to win and attack the ball, so there's a fair chance that he's got some involvement coming this weekend."
During Cirkin's absence, Aji Alese has come into the side at left-back and impressed and Mowbray will be keen to find a way to retain the ex-West Ham man if at all possible, both because of his form and also because he is one of the few 6ft-plus within the Black Cats' ranks.
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