Sunderland are preparing for their Championship match against Birmingham at St Andrew’s – with multiple players unavailable for both sides.
The Black Cats will be looking to bounce back following Wednesday’s 1-0 defeat at Huddersfield, which saw Michael Beale’s side drop to 10th in the Championship table. Birmingham, managed by former Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray, beat Blackburn 1-0 last time out but remain in a relegation battle.
Here’s the latest Sunderland and Birmingham injury and team news ahead of their meeting at St Andrew’s.
1. Aji Alese (Sunderland) - OUT
After starting three successive matches at the start of this year, Alese suffered another injury setback ahead of Sunderland's game against Hull and remains sidelined. Photo: Frank Reid
2. Alex Pritchard (Birmingham) - DOUBT
Pritchard has missed Birmingham's last two matches with a calf injury and looks unlikely to be fit to face his former club. Photo: Alex Livesey
3. Bradley Dack (Sunderland) - OUT
Dack was forced off in the win over Hull on Boxing Day with a hamstring issue, with the 30-year-old not expected to return until March. Photo: Frank Reid
4. George Hall (Birmingham) - DOUBT
The 19-year-old winger has made just one Championship appearance this season due to a hamstring injury but did play for the under-21s side on Wednesday after a lengthy absence. Photo: Clive Mason