Oviedo adds to Cats’ injury woes

Sunderland have suffered another injury setback, with Bryan Oviedo ruled out of tomorrow’s home Championship clash with Burton Albion.

After losing Donald Love to injury earlier in the week, boss Chris Coleman will have to revamp his defence for what could be a defining game.

Billy Jones, Adam Matthews, Jake Clarke-Salter and Marc Wilson will compete for the two full-back positions.

Coleman said yesterday: “We lost Bryan Oviedo (pictured) today – he limped off.

“He won’t be available this weekend, and nor will Joel Asoro, who limped off on Tuesday with a hamstring problem.

“Lynden Gooch and Donald Love won’t be available for the remaining games of the season.

“That’s all very, very, disappointing.

“But John O’Shea trained today and came through it OK, which is good news.

“Billy Jones and Adam Matthews also trained today.” Long injury lists have been a feature of Sunderland’s two disastrous campaigns in a row, and Coleman is determined to change itint he long-term.

In the short-term, he may turn to some of the club’s promising Under-23 talent to pad out his squad.

He said: “It’s been frustrating because there are seven or eight players out injured, and it seems there’s always at least half a dozen.

“I’ve spoken before about the robustness of the squad, and the fact that we don’t have a lot of players who can play five or six games back-to-back because of one problem or another.

“There’s nothing we can do about it now, we just have to get the best out of what we have got.

“We may need a couple of them of the younger boys on the bench this Saturday. We’ll need to see how one or two.”