Aji Alese is expected to be sidelined until after the World Cup break after suffering an ankle injury in Sunderland's midweek defeat at Blackburn Rovers. The defender limped off midway through the second half after picking up the injury in a 50-50 challenge, and boss Tony Mowbray said today Alese would likely be out of action for between three and four weeks which would take him up to next month's World Cup break.
"Aji is in a protective plastic boot at the moment to stop him stressing the area," said Mowbray, ahead of Sunderland's game against Burnley at the Stadium of Light on Saturday. "He's had a scan, it's not as bad as we thought it might be because it looked a really bad one.
"We watched the incident back on the video with the medical department and he has twisted his ankle as well as taking a really heavy kick on it. I think the best-case scenario is three to four weeks, which probably takes us to the international World Cub break.
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"It's a shame for him and it's disappointing for the team because he has been magnificent since he broke into the side, but it's an opportunity for someone else to step up and I'm sure we'll be fine."
Bailey Wright could step into the side as a direct replacement for Alese, or alternatively Luke O'Nien could move back to central defence with Lynden Gooch or Trai Hume taking over from him at right-back. There was better news on striker Ellis Simms, who is due to resume full training next week and, assuming all goes well, could then be involved in next weekend's trip to Luton Town.
With leading scorer Ross Stewart also injured, Sunderland have had to cope without a centre-forward since on-loan Everton man Simms suffered a toe problem in the win at Reading a month ago. Mowbray said: "He won't be making the bench [against Burnley].
"He is hopefully going to train with the group starting on Monday. He's been on the grass with his boots on for a week or so now, but controlled with the physio department.
"The uncontrolled stuff, where he just joins back in, will start on Monday, where he doesn't have to be careful as he twists and turns and checks and sprints. That'll be the final test for him, and if he overcomes that then he would potentially be available against Luton away - that's the fixture he is aiming for.
"I've been saying to him for a while that we need him back, what is the pain threshold like, but player welfare has to come first. The danger is that if he comes back too soon, it could set him back weeks and weeks and weeks.
"The right thing to do is to go through the process, and the next thing in the process is full training with the first team starting on Monday. The only time I would ever change that and take a risk is when you are near the end of the season and if a player breaks down, the recovery time would take place over the summer.
"That's not the case here, we've got a long way to go this season."
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