SUNDERLAND are braced for more injury woe after skipper Lee Cattermole was ruled out for another month.
The combative midfielder is braced for an extended absence after visiting a specialist, who delivered bad news on the back injury that has kept him out for the last four weeks. The problem is understood to be a combination of a back, hip and hamstring injury and is similar to the complicated condition that kept him out for two months last season.
There is even concern within the Sunderland camp that it may rule him out for longer than four weeks – hence the importance of bringing in Sulley Muntari before Monday’s transfer deadline.
The news is a sizeable setback for the 22-year-old who has not played since the December 28 defeat to Blackpool.
Enjoying a sustained run of games, Cattermole was playing some of the best football of Black Cats career with Sunderland reaping the rewards. Boss Steve Bruce would have been banking on the contribution of his influential midfielder during an important run of fixtures, but must now make alternative plans in February.
The Wearsiders were accused of lacking bite against Chelsea and with both Cattermole, and David Meyler set for prolonged spells out, Bruce will be glad of recruiting industrious Ghana midfielder Muntari.
Provided his work permit issues are sorted out, the new signing will come into the reckoning at Stoke on Saturday – a game Sunderland must get something out of if they are to maintain momentum in their push for a top-six finish.
The Inter Milan man is likely to go straight into the side to face the Potters, and it may be out-of-sorts Jordan Henderson who makes way after a below-par performance in the defeat by Carlo Ancelotti’s revitalised Blues.
Tuesday night goalscorer Kieran Richardson mounted a stout defence of the Sunderland engine room, saying that any combination would have struggled against an on-song Chelsea. "To be fair, I thought Steed and Jordan did very well," he said. "It was hard for them because Chelsea put so many midfielders in there.
"Anelka was dropping in there all night and it was hard to get on top of it."
And on Cattermole he added: "If the skipper was there, he’s got good presence and he tackles well as well, but I’m not sure how much of a difference it would have made to be honest."
While that is the case, the addition of Muntari gives Richardson some optimism for the future. He has backed him to "hit the ground running" if he plays at the Britannia Stadium this weekend.
"You don’t play for Inter Milan for no reason. He’s a top-quality player and he could be a really great acquisition.
"It’s great to have him around and I think all the lads are looking forward to playing with him. He’s obviously played in England before, so he knows what the Premier League is all about. Hopefully, he does come into the side at Stoke on Saturday, he’ll hit the ground running."
Richardson – who has now scored three in two games since Darren Bent’s departure – is also glad to see the back of January after a disruptive month for the Black Cats.
"I think we’re all just pleased January is over with to be honest. We lost Darren, who was our top goalscorer, and we obviously wish him all the best," he said.
"He did a lot of good things for this club. But we’ve made two great additions to the squad and we’re ready to move forward. Hopefully, they can do the business for us and help us in the second half of the season."
