Mick McCarthy revealed this morning that none of his four first choice keepers were available to train this morning.
And he acknowledged that it is a possibility that the Black Cats could apply for special dispensation to bring in a new keeper for the match at Portman Road on Sunday.
Mart Poom is out for the rest of the season after undergoing a knee operation, Thomas Myhre has a back problem, Michael Ingham has ricked his neck and Ben Alnwick has suffered a bereavement.
McCarthy said: "We go into training today without a single senior keeper to call upon.
"Our youth keeper Trevor Carson will go in goal for the reserves tonight against Liverpool and as far as the other lads are concerned we'll just have to wait and see.
"Poom is out altogether and the other three are all doubts to one extent or another.
"Thomas is still working to overcome his back injury, Michael hurt his neck on the team coach on Tuesday – he was asleep when the coach had to break suddenly and he's hurt himself while Ben is still out after the effects of a bereavement.
"Still, I'm hopeful of having at least one keeper available for the Ipswich game!'
If Sunderland don't have a single keeper available for Sunday then scope exists to bring in an emergency keeper.
A Football League spokesman explained today: "The club would have to apply to us for permission and give medical evidence of their need for an additional player.
"They would have to show their professional goalkeepers were injured and members of the Senior Executive would consider the application.'
The Sunderland boss indicates today that he would have to consider every possibility for the weekend game.
That would include looking round for an alternative keeper in the worst case scenario.
But the signs are that the manager is holding out in the hope that he will still be able to name one of his own keepers for the first XI and one for the bench this Sunday.