Michael Beale issues an update on Sunderland's long-term injury absentees and when they could be back

Michael Beale says that Corry Evans and Elliot Embleton should both be able to play a part in the Championship run-in, though neither is close to a first-team return at this stage.

Evans has been missing since last January after suffering an ACL injury, while Elliot Embleton suffered a significant thigh injury just weeks into his loan at Derby County. The attacking midfielder had not long returned from a broken leg suffered in the latter stages of 2022 at Hull City.

Beale has confirmed that both are out doing individual work at the Academy of Light, meaning that they are making encouraging progress in their return. However, it is likely to be at least the latter stages of next month before either could realistically be pushing for a first-team return with Beale warning that minor setbacks are inevitable along the way given the length of their respective absences.

"Corry is a little bit away, it's not one I'd want to put a timeframe on," Beale said of Evans.

"When I came in they said he was still a couple of months away. I've been in nearly four weeks so probably four or five weeks before he's back with the team. Obviously it was a long term injury and when you come back from that there are always one or two niggles. He's out working in isolation with the sports science department but he's not going to be unavailable to play any time soon."

Embleton's loan at Derby County was officially brought to an end earlier this week, but Beale says he could yet have a part to play on Wearside before the campaign is out.

"He doesn't seem like he's a million miles away from rejoining the group," Beale said.

"He's another one that is out working with the performance staff to make sure he's getting the very best rehab he can. The loan at Derby is now at an end so he's very much back in [here], and when he's ready to go we'l assess from there. He's obviously a boy who knows this club and knows what it takes to play for this club, so I've no doubt that he's going to be chomping at the bit to contribute."

Beale also confirmed that Patrick Roberts should be able to return to the fold in early February, with Bradley Dack not far behind him. Dennis Cirkin is out for three months with a hamstring problem, while Niall Huggins has been ruled out for at least a year after major knee ligament injury.

"It's as bad as it could have been, to be honest," Beale said of Huggins.

"It's going to be an injury that's over twelve months. The surgery was good and he's been back in and we've all had a chance to see him. When I watched the team before coming in, he was someone that I was looking forward to working with so that made a really lousy day [against Coventry City] even worse. I'm gutted for Niall."