Lee Johnson reveals major Will Grigg injury concern at Sunderland

Grigg was not part of the Sunderland squad on Saturday afternoon as the Black Cats were held to a 0-0 draw at Northampton Town.

Johnson has concerns over a long-standing knee issue and the 29-year-old is set to see a specialist on Monday.

The striker could yet return by the end of this month, should the assessment prove positive, but it could also lead to a prolonged spell on the sidelines.

“Will missed out through injury,” Johnson said.

"He has a long-standing swelling of the knee, and I don’t think he has been moving as well as he can – as we well as I have seen him move before.

“He’s going to see a specialist on Monday and we will find out if he’s going to be out for three weeks, three months, or nine months.

“I don’t think there will be any inbetween – it will either be rest for three weeks and have another go, rest for three months and non-surgical, or we go surgical.

“If it is surgery, they will have to drill a hole in the kneecap so it bleeds from in to out so it then forms a calcification on the outside of the knee.

“Hopefully he’ll be OK, but we just have to touch wood and cross our fingers.”

Johnson’s squad is otherwise nearing full strength, with Josh Scowen making a surprise return to the starting XI on Saturday afternoon.

Denver Hume and Luke O’Nien will both be nearing contention after the Black Cats’ break from action, after Johnson was left with depleted options in the full-back department on Saturday.

Dion Sanderson impressed in an unfamiliar left-back role, after Callum McFadzean was withdrawn from the squad over concerns about his recovery from COVID-19.

"Callum was the one who was a bit of a double dip with the virus, so we felt it was the right thing to do in terms of taking him out,” Johnson said.

"Dion acquitted himself well physically and tactically.”

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