And South Shields-born Martyn Waghorn could even be set to make his comeback in Sunderland's friendly in Jersey on Monday.

The striker has been out for two months with a cruciate knee injury and has yet to kick a ball in anger this season. But he could make his return in Jersey after Neil Bailey named him in a 17-man squad for the Channel Islands trip.

Sunderland take on Jersey's senior Island team at the Springfield Stadium in St Helier on Monday night (7.30pm).

Waghorn has been named in a youthful squad which includes two of Sunderland's U18 players Michal Misiewicz and David Brown.

It's a timely birthday present for goalkeeper Misiewicz, who turns 18 today, after he made a promising start to his career at Sunderland since joining the club from Plymouth in the summer.

The 6ft 2in shot-stopper is of Polish descent but was brought up in Calgary, Canada, and has also played for Jahn Regensburg in Germany and Slask Wroclaw in Poland.

Left-back Brown, a 17-year-old left-back from Shotley Bridge, is a second-year scholar and has appeared for Sunderland's reserves this season.

Sunderland squad: Nick Colgan, Michal Misiewicz, Rade Prica, Jean-Yves M'voto, David Brown, David Meyler, Jamie Chandler, Michael Kay, Niall McArdle, David Dowson, Robbie Weir, Peter Hartley, Martyn Waghorn, Jordan Henderson, Jack Colback, Jordan Cook, Nathan Luscombe.