Tony Mowbray has given an update on Sunderland's injury list. He expects Ross Stewart to take part in a behind-closed-doors friendly soon, but has confirmed Jewison Bennette is the latest attacker to suffer a setback...
EMBLETON/SEELT
"If you see them on the bench, it doesn't mean they are going to play. It means we are integrating them back into the squad, travelling with the team, eating with the team, listening to the team meetings, getting back into the environment. Embo has been out for eight months, and he has been training for less than a week - three or four days - but I might still stick him on the bench. Jenson could probably do that as well, but don't expect them to come onto the pitch."
RIGG
"He's right on the cusp of it, so he can't play for the U21s on Friday night at West Brom because of the concussion protocol but that is the last day. So the first day he can [play] is Saturday. We'll probably take him with us on Saturday and if he makes the bench, it is unlikely he will get on but every time he's with the team and travelling and around the environment is a positive for him. He's come through all the stages of the protocol fine, he just hasn't trained or played. It's a bit unusual, I suppose, because he hasn't kicked a ball in two weeks and then you throw him straight in on the bench."
ROBERTS
"You can see the squad, though, we've picked up one or two injuries - Patrick [Roberts] being one of those - and we need to fill the bench. Patrick's injury is pretty short-term, it's a low-grade injury. He's a stick-on in our team. Some players come in and come out, but Pat generally plays every game and in my period here he has been very robust and has been available for just about all the time. So he will be a loss for us. The good part is that I'm sure he will be fit in a couple of weeks and he'll be able to train through the international break and then be available for the game after that, I would think."
BENNETTE
"Jewison is injured at the moment, so he won't be involved this weekend. He's had a back spasm. I don't think (a loan move) is going to be this window for Jewison. I think he needs bedding into the club, keep learning the language and understanding the demands of the club. And then hopefully he can make more of a breakthrough, because he is undoubtedly talented. It is much more difficult for Jewi because while we have four or five younger lads who all speak French, there isn't anyone who speaks Spanish other than Hemir who speaks a little bit of it. I think that's made his integration understandably more difficult. So I just think we have to be patient with Jewison. I don't see him going anywhere over the next week other than working on getting himself back fit and getting himself back in contention for selection."
STEWART
"You just have to watch this space. Maybe the end of the international break or during the international break, there might be the potential that he plays an internal in-house game or something like that. That's how close he is I think, in my mind, but let's wait and see. I just think it's a nice feeling to think we sign a striker or two this week and then Ross Stewart gets fit as well and all of a sudden we've got three new strikers, then the young French kid (Eliezer Mayenda) gets fit and it's four new strikers, then there's Hemir, five strikers and I'll be moaning we've got too many. Let's wait and see. Ross fit would be a huge boost because of the impact he makes in the dressing room in the group. He's a very well thought of footballer at this club."
