CATS DUO BACK IN CONTENTION
Jon McLaughlin is fit to face Portsmouth, writes Phil Smith.
Sunderland’s No.1 goalkeeper has been in superb form this season, but had to be substituted against Bristol Rovers due to a back spasm.
However, the 31-year-old has trained alongside Reece James, who missed that 2-1 win entirely after being injured in the warm up.
Jack Ross does have one concern, though, with Tom Flanagan struggling due to a hip problem. “Jon is fine,” Ross said. “Reece is fine, Tom will be touch and go so we’ll so how he us on Friday.
“Reece and Jon have both trained so they’ll be fine.
“Tom picked up an impact injury towards the end of the Walsall game on his hip, it’s kept bothering him,” Ross added.
“It affects him sort of opening up properly.
“It’s a time thing more than anything else .
“Saturday might come too quickly, we’ll wait and see.”
Charlie Wyke is hoping to be fit for the visit of Bradford City on Boxing Day.
Aside from the long-term injuries to Denver Hume and Donald Love, Ross has a fully fit squad.
Meanwhile, Newcastle United have asked Sunderland for more Checkatrade Trophy tickets.
The club put on sale its initial 2,800-seat allocation for next month’s last 16 tie this week.
Newcastle’s Under-21s will take on the League One club’s first team at the Stadium of Light on January 8.
And United are waiting for a response from Sunderland, having asked for another batch of tickets given the demand on Tyneside for the game.
Competition rules state that away fans should be allocated at least 10% of a stadium’s capacity, which works out at just under 5,000.
However, Sunderland executive director Charlie Methven said last week that felt that that number would be “too high”.
“The rules of the competition are that the away team gets 10% of the stadium capacity,” said Methven. “In our case, that’s just under 50,000, which would mean more or less getting 5,000 tickets, and Newcastle have asked us for that allocation.
“I think our view, and the view of our internal security team, is that’s maybe a bit high.”
There was trouble at a reserve derby between Newcastle and Sunderland at the Stadium of Light last season.
A number of seats were damaged by visiting supporters during the Premier League International Cup quarter-final, which was won by United after a penalty shootout.
Tickets for the WearTyne derby, priced £15 for adults and £5 for concessions, are on sale to seasonticket holders with 30 or more away points.
The club is arranging coach travel for fans.
Newcastle beat League Two club Macclesfield Town on penalties in the last round of the competition.