Sunderland handed potential injury boost ahead of Championship return
Sunderland have been without Dennis Cirkin for almost two months now, with the defender having sustained a hamstring injury.
Cirkin, 21, hasn't played since September.
The 5-0 win over Southampton was his last performance and the ex-Spurs man has been missing with a hamstring injury since.
But Sunderland Echo are reporting that Cirkin is nearing a return to fitness after almost two months out, but that Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray doesn't expect to have the left-back available right after this current international break.
Sunderland, it seems, have had a lengthy injury list since their return to the Championship last year.
Right now, Mowbray is without Aji Alese, Bradley Dack, Pierre Ekwah, Corry Evans, Jay Matete, Alex Pritchard, and Cirkin, with Dan Ballard a potential new addition to that list after he missed Northern Ireland's game vs Slovenia last night.
Some of those names were carrying more minor injuries though and could be back this weekend; the likes of Dack, Pritchard, and maybe Ekwah.
Cirkin working his way back...
Cirkin was a key player in Sunderland's promotion-campaign, and he played a key role last season too.
He remains an important player and one with bags of potential too, but working his way back into the side could be difficult with Niall Huggins impressing at left-back.
Still, for Mowbray, having Cirkin and Huggins fighting for the left-back berth is good, and it shows the strength in depth that Sunderland currently have.
The Black Cats go up against Alex Neil's Stoke City this weekend in what promises to be another tough outing for Mowbray's side, who currently sit in 4th place of the Championship table.
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