Grabban may miss out on Cats’ Forest trip too

Lewis Grabban is a doubt for Saturday’s trip to Nottingham Forest with a calf injury that ruled him out of yesterday’s 3-0 defeat to Sheffield United.

Boss Chris Coleman confirmed the striker, who has 12 goals to his name, picked up the knock in the 1-1 draw with Birmingham City and admits he doesn’t yet know if he will be fit for the weekend.

Coleman said: “Lewis picked a calf injury up in the last game against Birmingham (last Saturday), in the first half. He lasted quite well, but it hasn’t settled down.

“He was just not fit unfortunately. I’m not putting that performance on us missing one player – we are missing eight players.

“But it has nothing to do with missing eight players, it is to do with us and those that were here.

“It is not about who wasn’t here, but who is here and all of us here came up short.

“I don’t know if Lewis will be back for the weekend. He played an hour with it on Saturday.

“It depends whether it settles down between now and then.”

The striker’s absence from the Boxing Day teamsheet at Bramall LanewasahugeblowtoSunderland, who failed to have a single shot on target.

Chris Wilder’s Blades were dominant and took the lead after 36 minutes through John Lundstram’s cool finish. Richard Stearman doubled their advantage with a header before George Baldock headed a third and Sunderland were fortunate the scoreline wasn’t heavier.

Also missing was midfielder Didier Ndong.

Coleman added: “Didier Ndong had an ankle injury Saturday. He had a kick so he was not here.”

Sunderland will take on a Forest team reeling from yesterday’s 3-0 defeat at home to Sheffield Wednesday.