Tony Mowbray confirms possible Sunderland injury boost for potential play-offs push

Sunderland might have defender Dan Ballard back for part of the Championship run-in, although he won’t be risked if nothing rests on those games.

Ballard has had something of a rollercoaster season following his summer move from Arsenal. He impressed immediately before suffering a broken foot in just his third game for the club.

That injury kept him out until December but he was playing some outstanding football until a hamstring injury while playing for Northern Ireland against Finland put him back on the sidelines.

Last week, Mowbray said he expected Ballard to miss the rest of the season, but there is apparently some hope that he could be available before then if needed.

“Ballard might be ready for the second last game of the season,” Mowbray said. “Maybe, if we’re pushing it. If we don’t need to, then we won’t.”

Those games would be against Watford at home and Preston away, but if Ballard is deemed worth risking then Sunderland will have needed positive results against Birmingham, Huddersfield and West Brom first.

Should they get that and then head into the final two games with a play-offs position within their grasp, having Ballard back would be a big boost.

However, if the season fizzles out over the next three games, there appears little point in risking him.

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