Ross Stewart, Amad Diallo, Patrick Roberts and other Sunderland selection dilemmas for Tony Mowbray to assess

It’s hoped that several first-team players will be available again when Sunderland host Millwall on December 3, with Ross Stewart, Lynden Gooch, Aji Alese and Edouard Michut all stepping up their recovery following injury setbacks.

Defender Daniel Ballard has also been sidelined, yet it looks less likely he’ll be able to return immediately after the break.

More competition will benefit Sunderland during a congested second half of the season, yet it will also leave Mowbray with some selection dilemmas.

We’ve taken a closer look at some of the things he’ll be weighing up:

How to fit Amad and Patrick Roberts into the same side

In Sunderland’s 2-1 win at Birmingham we saw the best of Manchester United loanee Amad.

After understandably taking a while to settle on Wearside, the 20-year-old has now started Sunderland’s last five Championship matches, scoring three times and providing an excellent assist for Ellis Simms.

Before Amad’s run of consecutive games we had seen glimpses of his exciting ability, with the forward showing flashes of pace and fine close control, yet it wasn’t exactly clear what his best position was.

Since then Amad has excelled playing on the right flank, where he can cut inside onto his favoured left foot, and was notably selected ahead of Patrick Roberts for the win at Birmingham.

It came just weeks after Mowbray had asked: “Is there a better player in this league than Patrick Roberts? I haven’t seen him yet."

The Sunderland boss now faces the challenge of potentially trying to fit both Roberts and Amad into the same starting XI, which is easier said than done when Jack Clarke has been performing so well on the left and Alex Pritchard is a regular starter in the No 10 position.

Then there are the squad’s returning strikers, with Simms, and hopefully Ross Stewart, set to be available after the World Cup break.

How many strikers will start?

On the subject of strikers, Mowbray will have to weigh up how to maximise the qualities of his attacking players.

At the start of the season Simms and Stewart formed a promising partnership, scoring eight goals between them in a six-game spell, with former boss Alex Neil changing the side’s shape and approach.

We know that Sunderland’s summer recruitment strategy was designed for the side to play 4-3-3, yet by the second game of the campaign Simms and Stewart were leading the line in a 3-5-2 set-up.

That was because Neil felt the best way to win games was to try and attack teams with two imposing figures leading the line. It was a tactic which brought early success.

While Sundeland have played with a back four and a back three under Mowbray, the Black Cats boss will have to weigh up the most effective way to play when his forwards are both available.

That decision will also depend on how quickly Stewart can get back up to speed after over two months out with a thigh injury, while wide players such as Clarke, Roberts and Amad are better suited to a 4-2-3-1 system.

What’s the best defensive set-up?

As previously mentioned, Sunderland’s forward line will have a knock-on effect on the rest of the team.

At the start of the season the Black Cats started with a back three of Daniel Ballard, Danny Batth and Dennis Cirkin, with Lynden Gooch and Jack Clarke operating as wing-backs.

Under both Neil and Mowbray Sunderland have altered their shape within games and benefitted from having versatile players in the squad.

The likes of Cirkin, Aji Alese and Luke O’Nien, for example, can easily switch from a centre-back to a full-back role so the side can change formation.

With Alese and Cirkin both impressing at Championship level, Mowbray will have to decide who should start on the left side of Sunderland’s defence – or if both could play in the same team.

Since Mowbray’s arrival at Sunderland in August, one of the two has often been unavailable due to injury, yet there were two games in October when both Cirkin and Alese were selected, with one starting on the left of a back three and the other playing as a wing-back.

That move worked successfully as Sunderland beat Wigan 2-1 at Stadium of Light, when Cirkin scored the winning goal, and its effect may depend on the opposition.

Can Sunderland create midfield partnerships?

Another position where Sunderland have several players available is in central midfield, yet most combinations remain untested.

Dan Neil and Corry Evans have started 14 of the side’s 20 Championship matches so far this season and have looked like a balanced partnership.

Still, there will be times when one or both won’t be available, meaning Mowbray will have to try alternative options.

Abdoullah Ba, 19, has shown signs of his potential but struggled when named in the starting XI alongside Neil against Cardiff.

We should also see more of PSG loanee Michut after the break, after the 20-year-old was ruled out with a minor groin injury earlier this month.

Jay Matete and Elliot Embleton can also play in the middle of the park, yet Sunderland don't appear to have a natural replacement for Evans in the holding role.

That will be an area the club look to strengthen in January, while Mowbray will also be looking to develop the young talent at his disposal.