The Sunderland players working their way back to full fitness during postponement and where they stand

All fixtures have been postponed until April 3rd at the earliest, with the situation under constant review.

The Black Cats players are expected to have some time off at the beginning of next week. This had been the plan even before the postponement, with Sunderland not due to play next weekend.

Manager Phil Parkinson said last week that they had already been told not to travel abroad in that period.

They will then face a delicate balance in preparing for a return to action, whenever that might be.

The injury list is currently small, but these are where some sidelined figures currently stand...

ELLIOT EMBLETON

Embleton has suffered an immensely frustrating season far after making his breakthrough in pre-season fixtures.

He suffered a serious hamstring injury during the Carabao Cup win over Sheffield United and suffered a number of setbacks as he began to return to training.

Parkinson, however, hopes that this time he is ready to make a sustained push for senior action.

Embleton returned to training last week, and the Black Cats boss was expecting him to come into contention for the clash with Shrewsbury on April 4th.

Crucially, he believes the one benefit of the 20-year-old’s extended lay-off is that it allowed to him to undergo crucial strength and conditioning work.

His footballing ability is not in question.

If and when league action returns, and providing he suffers no further setbacks, Parkinson is adamant that he will have a role to play.

“I’ve said to him many times that there is a moment in him before the end of the season,” he said.

“He’s got that bit of craft and intelligence.

“That’s what I’ve seen in the footage I’ve watched from Grimsby games, I’ve seen a lot of those games where he has just shown that killer pass and that moment of quality.

“Games at this stage of the season are defined by key moments and I feel he’s got those in him.”

BAILEY WRIGHT

As it stands, Wright remains unlikely to return to Sunderland action this season.

Wright made an excellent start to his Sunderland career but suffered a serious knee injury late in the 1-0 win away at Oxford United on February 15th.

Parkinson admitted at the time that it ‘did not look good’ and days later confirmed that he would be missing for a period of eight to twelve weeks.

That all but ended his campaign, leaving only the faint possibility of a potential involvement in any play-off campaign.

Of course, any extension to the season could change the picture.

For now, he remains on Wearside as he recovers, with his Bristol City contract expiring at the end of June.

ETHAN ROBSON

Robson has not featured in a matchday squad since a potential loan return to Grimsby Town was blocked on deadline day in January.

Parkinson subsequently revealed that he had missed two weeks of training in the second half of February due to a thigh problem.

He is now back with the first-team squad as he pushes for more action.