Sunderland boss delivers an injury update on Dennis Cirkin, Patrick Roberts, and Niall Huggins

Dennis Cirkin is facing another 12 weeks on the sidelines after undergoing hamstring surgery - meaning is unlikely to be fit until Sunderland[1] are well into the Championship run-in. And winger Patrick Roberts[2] will be out until next month with a calf injury, according to head coach Michael Beale[3]. Defender Cirkin[4] has been dogged by hamstring issues this season, suffering an initial problem at the beginnning of September which kept him out until the end of October, and then after just four games he aggravated the issue in November and has not played since.

The 21-year-old left-back returned to training before Christmas but then had another setback which meant he needed to go under the knife. Beale says Cirkin will be missing for 12 months which would mean he would not be fit until mid-April, by which time Sunderland would have only four games remaining - and that assumes no complications in his rehab. Ahead of this weekend's trip to Ipswich Town, Beale said: "Dennis has had an operation and will miss 12 weeks.

"I've only worked with Dennis on one or two days, so it's hugely disappointing to lose him." Roberts limped off early in Sunderland's defeat at Rotherham at the end of December. Beale said: "Paddy will be out for the remainder of this month but we hope to have him back at some point in February.

"He'll be back before Bradley Dack[5] [who picked up a hamstring injury in the Boxing Day win at Hull City]." Meanwhile defender Niall Huggins[6] has had surgery on the knee ligament injury he picked up in the home defeat against Coventry City before Christmas. That injury will keep him out long-term, with the club already confirming that he would miss the remainder of the season and Beale indicating that he will be out a good deal longer.

Beale said: "Niall has had surgery this week and we won't see him for the best part of a year - maybe a little bit more - which is really disappointing because he was having a great year."

References

1. ^ Sunderland (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
2. ^ Patrick Roberts (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
3. ^ Michael Beale (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
4. ^ Cirkin (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
5. ^ Bradley Dack (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)
6. ^ Niall Huggins (www.chroniclelive.co.uk)