Ex-Sunderland man a doubt for FA Cup clash as Steve Cotterill's Shrewsbury deal with multiple setbacks
Shrewsbury will be without several first-team players when they host Sunderland in the FA Cup this weekend.
Steve Cotterill’s side are 16th in League One but have lost their last three matches during a congested festive schedule.
Former Sunderland defender Tom Flanagan is a doubt for the match after he was forced off with a knock during the first half of a 3-0 defeat against Fleetwood last time out.
Carl Winchester is unavailable to face his parent club, while defender Matthew Pennington is set to serve a suspension after he was sent off against Fleetwood.
Defender George Nurse and forward Dan Udoh have been ruled out for the season with ACL injuries, while full-back Julien Dacosta hasn’t been available in recent weeks.
Aiden O’Brien could feature against his former club, after leaving Wearside last year, but has just returned following a recent groin issue.
After the Fleetwood defeat, Cotterill said: “It’s been a really tough Christmas period for us.
“I think the boys that have been going out there for nigh on four or five months – the same players.
“It looked like this week was a bit too much for them.”
“We’re not so bad when we go Saturday to Saturday with so few bodies,” he continued.
“But even when you’ve got the bodies back you know, how long is it going to take Aiden O’Brien or Julien Dacosta to get fit (match fit).”
Sunderland have also been dealing with several injury setbacks after Danny Batth, Lynden Gooch, Alex Pritchard, Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin, Elliot Embleton and Niall Huggins all missed the side’s 1-1 draw at Blackpool on New Year’s Day.