Tony Mowbray issues injury update regarding Sunderland defender | OneFootball

Tony Mowbray has issued an update on the injured Daniel Ballard ahead of this midweek’s clash with Blackpool.

The Sunderland boss does not expect the defender to return to action this month, and it could even be December before he next competes for the Championship club.

Ballard suffered a fractured foot during the team’s 2-2 draw with QPR back in August and has been out of action since.

However, it is hoped that he will return to training before the pause in play ahead of the winter World Cup in November.

But the 58-year old has claimed that he will struggle to make his return to the first team before the international break.

“It’s going to be around and about the World Cup break [when Ballard is fit], but I do think he will be out on the grass before that break,” said Mowbray, via Chronicle Live.

“It might be during that break that he does the training and gets himself back in contention.”

Quiz: Did Sunderland win, draw or lose the last time they played at these 18 stadiums?

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Selhurst Park?

Win Draw Loss

The centre back arrived at Sunderland during the summer transfer window from Arsenal, and has played in three league games for the club.

He is set to miss the busy October and November schedule in which Sunderland face 10 games in six weeks.

The Black Cats drew the first of those 10 fixtures at the weekend, sharing the spoils after a scoreless 90 minutes at home to Preston North End.

The Verdict

Injuries have not made life too easy for Mowbray since arriving as manager at the end of August.

Dennis Cirkin is nearing a return to action for the team, which will come as a big boost.

However, Ellis Simms and Ross Stewart remain absent in the coming weeks.

Ballard returning to training soon will be a positive, and perhaps the World Cup break will come at the right time for Sunderland in order to get everyone back up to full fitness ahead of the second half of the campaign.