Tony Mowbray is hoping for a double injury boost when Sunderland's Championship campaign resumes after the international break, with Ellis Simms and Dennis Cirkin on course to return. On-loan Everton frontman Simms limped out of the Black Cats' midweek win at Reading with a toe injury and, while Mowbray said he was 'touch-and-go' to play in Saturday's draw at Watford he ultimately decided not to risk him.
Defender Cirkin suffered a hamstring injury a fortnight ago and went off late the game as Sunderland lost at Middlesbrough, with that problem ruling him out of both the Reading and Watford trips. Both players will continue to receive treatment over the next two weeks at the Academy of Light, but Mowbray is keeping his fingers crossed that they will be in contention for Sunderland's home game against Preston North End a week on Saturday.
"It was touch and go for Ellis," said Mowbray, following the game at Watford. "The common-sense thing to do was not to expose a problem with his toe that could have easily seen him go down after five or ten minutes.
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"It's OK having a jog about and thinking you're OK, but in a Championship match there's no hiding place. I think it made more sense to give him a couple of weeks, and then I would hope that by the Preston game when we restart, he will be in contention.
"We'll have to wait and see, because until he starts and until he gets his boots on and starts sprinting, we won't know."
As for Cirkin, his injury was expected to rule him out for around a fortnight, and the international break gives him almost two additional weeks to recover. Asked whether the 20-year-old would be ready to face Preston, Mowbray said: "I think so. That's the gameplan.
"I don't spend a lot of time in the physio room but I get a report every single day, and I would hope that Dennis will be available on the back of this international break. I'm not sure why he wouldn't be, based on the information I have received.
"He still has to put his boots on and get back on the grass, and he has to start jogging, and if that goes alright then he can start running, and if that goes OK he can start sprinting, then he'll kick balls and start to twist and turn. If everything is fine, he will be available.
"Somewhere in that process, at times, something is not quite right so you have to give them a bit longer but, with Dennis, let's hope it's a smooth recovery back to playing."
With Ross Stewart ruled out with a thigh injury until at least mid-October, Simms' absence has left Sunderland without a fit senior striker, forcing Mowbray to switch tactics and play Alex Pritchard as a false nine in the last two games. But the move has worked to good effect, with the Black Cats scoring five goals in the two games against Reading and Watford.
Cirkin's place in the side has been taken by summer signing Aji Alese, who has performed well in the last two games - and who scored Sunderland's first goal in the 2-2 draw at Watford on Saturday.
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