Dennis Cirkin 'ready' to make Sunderland return

Dennis Cirkin will be in the Sunderland squad to face Blackpool on Tuesday after recovering from a hamstring injury, Tony Mowbray has confirmed.

Cirkin sustained the injury in the Championship defeat at Middlesbrough, on the same night as top-scorer Ross Stewart suffered a thigh problem.

The initial prognosis was a bad one, with reports the defender would be out until the new year. However, they proved to be inaccurate and he is now ready to make his return.

“Dennis is ready, he'll be on the bench tomorrow night, I think,” Mowbray told reporters.

“He’s over his injury, I had a good chat with him and together we just felt there was no need to risk it at the weekend, it gave him extra time to train.

“We think that was the best way to do it. He feels ready, and I expect to see him on the team sheet tomorrow.”

Cirkin was an automatic choice before his injury, although he may now find it difficult to regain his place in the Sunderland line-up.

Summer signing Aji Alese has despotised and made a serious impression on the left of the Sunderland back three, and he looks like he will take some displacing right now.