Ellis Simms is not ready to return for Sunderland's weekend game against Preston - with Tony Mowbray admitting the striker's toe injury is taking longer than expected to heal. Simms suffered the problem in the Black Cats' 3-0 win at Reading and underwent a scan on the injury the next day which Mowbray said at the time had been 'inconclusive'.
At that stage, Simms was described as 'touch-and-go' to be involved in the next game at Watford less than 72 hours later, although in the end he did not feature on the teamsheet. The hope was that Simms would be fit when Sunderland's season resumed against Preston at the Stadium of Light following the two-week international break, but Mowbray said this morning that that would not be the case.
Simms is still on Wearside, but there is talk that he might return to Goodison Park for Everton to assess his injury and decide whether to send him for another scan. "We'd hoped that he might be OK after this international break but that's not going to be the case," said Mowbray.
