Sunderland AFC headlines: Striker facing late fitness test, Corry Evans latest plus Everton loanee update

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has been speaking to the media today, here’s what he had to say on the team news front ahead of the Watford game.

What’s the latest on the injury front ahead of Watford v Sunderland?

Ellis Simms faces a late fitness test ahead of the game and while Tony Mowbray needs to assess whether his experienced players such as Corry Evans are ready for another demanding away fixture, he is hopeful that they can be available to start.

“We took Corry off the other night because he did come over and say he was cramping up a bit.” Mowbray said.

“It was a big physical effort from the lads the other night, and as you're getting a bit older you do have to look after yourself.

“He'll do practically nothing before he puts his boots back on Saturday, with the more experienced lads we're just letting them recover and of course they'll be around the tactical stuff.

“They'll be ready, whether they get the 90 minutes we'll see.”

Will Everton loanee Ellis Simms make the squad?

Mowbray was hopeful in the immediate aftermath of the game that there was no break and that appears to be the case.

The Everton loanee will undergo a fitness test on Friday afternoon and if he does not come through that, the head coach is very hopeful that he will be fit after the upcoming international break.

“We're hoping he's going to be OK. It’s going to be a case of him getting his boot on – seeing what it’s like.

"I’ve just been talking to him there at breakfast, he'll have a jog about on the grass today and we'll wait and see.

"If the worst comes to worst and he can’t make the game tomorrow, we've got a break for two weeks and I'm sure he'll be fine after that.

"It’s touch and go [for tomorrow] as I sit here now, it’ll depend on our training session this afternoon and how he goes in that.”