Sunderland boss gives injury update and hails midfield duo

Manager Jack Ross had hoped that the talented midfielder would feature against Scunthorpe United, but he again missed out as the Black Cats strolled to a 3-0 victory.

“Dylan is not quite ready, but he should travel with us this week," Ross said.

"So should Donald Love, although he hasn’t really done anything with the group yet. Hopefully, the two of them will come back into contention. Reece [James] was back on the pitch today and Ethan [Robson] was on the bench. He’ll play for the U23's on Monday. It’s promising and encouraging in that respect.

“[Adam Matthews] got a knock on his calf. He was struggling a little bit at half-time. There’s not much time until Wednesday, but we’ll see how he is."

The Black Cats boss is also hopeful that Charlie Wyke could begin training with the group after the games against Gillingham and AFC Wimbledon, with Tom Flanagan and Jerome Sinclair also hoping to return ahead of schedule in the coming weeks.

McGeouch's absence has at least been softened by the excellent form of Max Power and Lee Cattermole, with Ross hailing both for their contribution in the emphatic win.

He said: “I think Max is going to be a major asset for the squad. He showed that from game one against Luton. He’d only met the players the day before, he’s not only a good player, he’s also a really good character.

"He’s very professional, good on the training pitch and good around the squad. He’ll continue to make that contribution.

"Lee, I’ve spoken about often enough," Ross added.

"He’s been good for me since day one in pre-season. I’m just really pleased he’s been out there in the last couple of games and enjoyed himself. Believe it or not, it still matters to footballers. If you see him in the changing room, I think he knows he’s made a positive contribution. I think he knows he’s been an important part of a team that’s won 3-0."