Injury issues plaguing our season, says Grayson

SUNDERLAND’S injury problems are undermining the club’s season admits Simon Grayson, after the Black Cats slipped into the Championship relegation zone.

Grayson is struggling to turn Sunderland’s fortunes around on the pitch and his task is being made harder by a lengthy injury list, with Callum McManaman, Billy Jones, and Jonny Williams the latest to join the casualty list.

McManaman suffered a groin problem in training on Friday and failed a pre-match fitness test, while Jones missed out with a knee injury and Williams was ill overnight.

John O’Shea and Aiden McGeady returned to the bench yesterday after weeks out through injury, while long-term casualties Duncan Watmore and Paddy McNair are not yet ready to make their comebacks.

Asked how he felt about Sunderland sliding to thirdbottom of the table, Grayson said: “It bothers me, but it’s not the biggest thing because what matters is where you are at the end of the season.

“When we picked the team yesterday morning it had three or four key players in it that didn’t end up playing, with Callum McManaman tweaking his groin in training, Billy Jones tweaked his knee, Jonny Williams was ill overnight.

“They are players who would have played today, and without them it wasn’t easy to put a team together.

“If you look at the team that finished, no disrespect to them, but with Joel Asoro, Lynden Gooch, and Ethan Robson, it was a very young side that finished the game.

“We hope that these players who were missing today are back sooner rather than later because we need strength in depth and experience to make it better.”

Cardiff had arrived on Wearside having gone three games without a win, however this victory was enough to see them keep pace with top table Leeds United and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

“When you have the players out of your 18 that we have out at the moment, it is going to be very difficult to get results against experienced teams,” said Grayson.

“In Cardiff’s 18 today they had a lot of experienced players who have played a lot of football at this level and above. And when you are confident and getting results, things go your way.

“At times we are a little bit too easy to play against and we make unforced errors which allow the opposition to get goals.”