The potential dilemma facing Lee Johnson ahead of Sunderland's crucial Ipswich Town clash in League One

Sunderland have had absolutely no luck with injuries recently.

Aiden McGeady is out for a couple of months with a knee injury. He joins Jordan Willis in the treatment room.

Full-back trio Dennis Cirkin, Niall Huggins and Denver Hume are out at the moment too.

And Luke O’Nien has just undergone shoulder surgery is set to miss 13 weeks of Sunderland’s season.

Corry Evans has also had repeated injuries this season.

The issues have forced Lee Johnson to switch formation to a five-at-the-back system, with the head coach deploying wing-backs – Leon Dajaku and Lynden Gooch.

After making a mistake against Oxford United, Gooch bounced back against Morecambe with two assists and was having a good game against Plymouth before bad luck struck again and he was taken off at half-time.

Johnson said it was too early to judge the damage but we will likely learn the extent of Gooch’s problem before the game against Ipswich Town on Saturday.

“Lynden went for a header and landed funnily - he almost did the splits,” Johnson said post-Plymouth.

“It's a groin strain and he felt it enough to come off.

“Sometimes they settle down pretty quickly and sometimes they are bad - there's no real in-between.

“He will probably be fit for training on Tuesday or out for three or four weeks.”

It would be a huge blow if Gooch’s injury does keep him out for weeks rather than days.

Carl Winchester would likely drop into the right wing-back spot with Dajaku probably shifting over to the left.

We know Winchester is capable defensively but the Northern Irishman has been superb since his shift into the middle alongside Dan Neil.

Judging by his recent performances, his absence in midfield would be a loss, although Sunderland do have Elliot Embleton to call upon.

Johnson does have youth options at his disposal, however, with Tyrese Dyce and Nathan Newell able to play in the wing-back position.

That would allow Johnson to keep Winchester in midfield but it would be a big call to throw a youth starlet into the heat of league football.

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