'They'll be ready' - No fitness concerns over experienced Sunderland duo

Tony Mowbray expects experienced duo Corry Evans and Danny Batth to be physically able to go again at Watford this weekend.

The Sunderland boss has a young and energetic squad at his disposal, but all that youthful exuberance is underpinned by the sheer knowhow of Batth and Evans.

Both have been key players this season down the spine of the side, although doubts remain over how physically capable they will be to play two Championship days in less than four days.

Evans was substituted at Reading and has struggled with injuries at times during his career, but both he and Batth should be fine for the trip to Watford.

"I hope so,” Mowbray said when asked if he felt Corry Evans and Danny Batth were able to play two games in such quick succession.

"We took Corry off because he did come over and say he had started to cramp up a little bit. It was a huge effort for them the other night.

"Football is a physically demanding game, and as you get older you have to try and manage yourself when you've got two games in three days. He [Evans] will do practically nothing before putting his boots on again and going again tomorrow.

"The human body is like a bottle and when it runs down, you have to fill it back up before you start going again. With those lads, we are sort of filling the bottle back up.

"They are going to do very little today, they'll be around the tactical stuff but they won't have to join in as such - they know their jobs. They know football and they understand that in this league sometimes you have a game every three days.

"They'll be ready. Whether they get the full 90 minutes, I hope so. Each game is different and sometimes you have to put your foot on the gas a little bit harder and it takes more out of you, other times if you are feeling comfortable in your position you can take your foot off the gas a little and keep the ball moving.

"They are both experienced, they are both doing extremely well, and let's hope they can stay fit and continue in the vein they are doing at the moment."