Sunderland's Ross Stewart has been nominated for the August Championship Player of the Month award following his impressive start to the season. Stewart scored five goals and also contributed three assists in six league outings last month, in what is his debut season in the English second tier.
Stewart clocked up a goal and an assist in Sunderland's 3-2 win at Bristol City, followed by a goal in the 2-2 draw against QPR at the Stadium of Light, and another assist in the Black Cats' 2-1 defeat at Sheffield United. The Scotland international also scored the only goal of the game as Sunderland beat Stoke City at the bet365 Stadium, and then rounded off the month with two goals and an assist in the 3-0 win against Rotherham United on Wearside.
Stewart has been nominated for the August award along with Hull City striker Oscar Estupinan, who scored seven goals and made one assist in six games, Preston North End defender Liam Lindsay, who helped his side keep six clean sheets in as many games, and Rotherham's 37-year-old defender Richie Wood, who scored three goals and helped his side keep three clean sheets in five games last month. The winner of the August award will be announced tomorrow.
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Stewart is currently sidelined with a thigh injury picked up in the warm-up ahead of Sunderland's game at Middlesbrough on Monday night, with the club confirming yesterday that he will be out of action for at least six weeks. Head coach Tony Mowbray said: "Ross will be out for six to eight weeks - it could be a little longer, but that will depend on his rehabilitation and the way his body reacts.
"He's a really positive guy and we hope that he will be a quick healer, so we will take it game by game and hopefully he returns quickly."
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