Sunderland manager has an issues of injury report and possible selection hint ahead of....

Alex Pritchard is a major doubt for Middlesbrough’s visit to the Stadium of Light this Saturday after picking up a calf strain in the build up to Sunderland’s win over Watford.

Pritchard has a minor calf strain and while he has not yet been ruled out, head coach Tony Mowbray says he won’t take any risks with the influential attacking midfielder with a two-week break to follow in which he can get fully up to speed.

Mowbray is not expecting any of his currently injured players to return for Saturday’s game, but the vast majority should be back after the break.

“Calf strains, they’re really delicate things, if you gamble you probably have a calf that tears rather than it being a little niggle, and it will be touch and go to see whether he can make it.

“I’ll have a chat with him and if he feels OK…

“The scan was very minimal but it showed damage so collectively we felt it was best he leaves it. There’s an international break coming up but we haven’t nailed down Saturday yet, we’ll wait and see how he feels and how he trains.”

Mowbray’s decision may well be made easier by Abdoullah Ba’s goalscoring return to the starting XI against Watford, as the winger continued his impressive recent form.

Ba’s return saw Patrick Roberts move infield into the number ten role usually played by Pritchard.

“He’s got wonderful athleticism,” Mowbray said.

“I’m pleased for him that he’s broken through any ceiling that might have been there of trying to disrupt Roberts or Clarke every week.

“It was the same team every week. We had Amad doing his job on the right side of the pitch. I feel as if he’s a threat now, he’s powerful in the air, he’s got a wonderful spring.

“He can run all day, he’s fast, mobile. He just has to work on his end product. He scored today so that’s an answer to the question of us needing to see more assists and goal efforts.”

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