When every injured Sunderland player is currently expected to return explained

Sunderland return to Championship action next Sunday when they will face Hull City.

Regis Le Bris said before the international break that he hoped for three or four boosts to his squad by then, so here we run you through when every player currently sidelined will be back...

Aaron Connolly

Connolly was included on the bench for the draw with Leeds United having impressed the staff with his fitness since arriving as a free agent. Played 45 minutes in the U21s on Monday night and scored in an eye-catching display. The plan as it stands is for him to play 60 minutes in their next fixture on Tuesday night and should he come through that unscathed he'll be in the squad to face Hull.

Dan Ballard

Ballard has been struggling with an ankle injury in recent weeks and though he could have played some part against Leeds United, it would have required heavy strapping and risked more severe damage. Ballard is not taking part in Northern Ireland's fixtures over the course of the international break and Sunderland's hope is that this means he can recover properly and be fit to face Hull City.

Eliezer Mayenda

Mayenda has missed Sunderland's last two games with a muscle problem but the club have always been confident that it is only a minor problem. The international break came at a good time for him and he's expected to be fully fit in time for the trip to Hull City.

Salis Abdul Samed

As it stands, it is not yet clear when Samed will be available to make his debut but it is highly unlikely to be at Hull City. Samed has been recovering from an injury and though he has been fit to play some part in training, it's an issue with a high risk of recurrence and so Sunderland believe a very cautious approach is the best one. That he has not yet been able to feature in the U21s suggests he's still got a little way to go before he can be included in a squad.

Ian Poveda

Poveda suffered a muscle injury in the latter stages if the win over Derby County and scans showed that he is likely to absent for around four to six weeks. That means he is most likely to return after the November international break, though in theory he could return and play a limited part just before. Tommy Watson is set for greater game time in his absence.

Aji Alese

Made an excellent start to the campaign but suffered an ankle problem that was expected to sideline him for around twelve weeks. The club have been hopeful that he could be fit to return after the November international break though he'll of course need to time to rebuild his match sharpness.

Ahmed Abdullahi

Sunderland were aware when they signed Abdullahi that he was struggling with a persistent groin problem and after closer analysis they decided that surgery was the best way to solve the problem for the long run. The initial prognosis was a recovery of around 12 weeks, which means he's unlikely to debut until some time around the festive period.

Jenson Seelt

Making solid progress in his recovery from a knee issue but isn't expected to be fit to play until January.

The Echo has launched a new WhatsApp SAFC Channel to bring the latest news, analysis and team & injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join our SAFC WhatsApp channel.

Niall Huggins

Huggins is recovering from a major knee injury and is not expected to be back in action until some time in the new year.