Reece is in as others founder

INJURY WOES GO ON FOR TEAM-MATES

REECE James will be back for Sunderland’s crunch game at Portsmouth - but manager Jack Ross was more cagey about his other injury concerns.

The left-back injured his ankle warming up for Saturday’s 2-1 win over Bristol Rovers but has recovered in time to face the league leaders.

Whether Tom Flanagan, who missed it with an unspecified knock, or Jon McLaughlin, who suffered back spasms during the game, will feature is not clear.

Ross said:

“We have two potential worries and we will assess them n Friday.

“By and large it will be the same squad.

“Reece James is back. Already we have rotated the squad and it is understandable we will freshen it up for the festive games.”

Pompey have a five-point lead over Sunderland going into the weekend but have played two matches more. The same is true of second-placed Luton Town, a point ahead.

It makes tomorrow’s game an important one - but Ross is keen to put it into context.

He added: “It is like all games. Individually they will not define the season unless it is the final game, where the outcome determines a finish.

“In the middle of a season, games take on significance so I will not shy away from that given where we are and Portsmouth are.

“In the past six to eight weeks, I think what Pompey have done is fantastic.

“To be as consistent in this league is impressive. We missed an opportunity not so long ago to go above them.

“Since then they have been strong and then in last two weeks we have narrowed that. Luton are between us too.

People have commented on the optimism around the place. There has been a significant change

“I would not play down the game’s importance but the outcome will not define the season.

“How I am, I would want to be top. I would try to judge myself against success.

“Yet to contradict that slightly, I would think we are slightly further ahead than maybe we thought we would be after the summer because the summer was a huge transition through the whole club.

“Those things impact on the football side of things.

“We wanted to try to be in and around the top seven and then push on in January, so I would think we are slightly ahead. I have only worked here since the summer, so maybe don’t notice as much, but there has been a significant change around the place.

“I can see it but other people have commented on it, the optimism around the place. We have managed to harness that because of the results.”