Tony Mowbray is reluctant to throw rookie centre-back Joe Anderson in at the deep end even as Sunderland face a defensive injury crisis which could derail their play-off bid - unless he has no other optionThe Black Cats are down to the bare bones as they head to top-six rivals West Bromwich Albion tomorrow, with skipper Danny Batth the latest to be ruled out through injury.
Batth's season is over after he picked up a knee problem in Tuesday night's draw against Huddersfield Town, and he joins fellow defenders Aji Alese (thigh) and Dan Ballard (hamstring) in the treatment room. Like Batth, Alese will not play again this season while Ballard will not be ready to face the Baggies, although there is a chance he might be fit for either or both of the last two games of the Championship campaign.
That leaves Mowbray with just one regular senior centre-back in the shape of Luke O'Nien, although there is a further headache in that the 28-year-old's wife is due to give birth any time now and his involvement in Sunday's game could come into doubt if their baby arrives in the hours leading up to the match and he needs to rush home to Wearside. In the circumstances, one option for Mowbray would be to call on Anderson, but he is wary of putting the 22-year-old January signing from Everton straight into the side but given he has just 16 minutes of senior football to his name, that would be a gamble.
