Watmore to miss out as Gooch returns
LYNDEN Gooch is set to return to the Sunderland squad this weekend – but Duncan Watmore is an injury doubt.
Gooch sat out the Black Cats’ 2-0 win at Bristol Rovers last Saturday after suffering a slight hamstring problem towards the end of the 4-2 home win over Gillingham four days earlier, but is expected to be included this weekend when Plymouth visit the Stadium of Light.
Watmore came into the side in place of Gooch at the Memorial Stadium but picked up a slight knee problem in the first half.
He lasted three quarters of the match before he tired and was replaced, but he has missed a few days’ training this week, with manager Jack Ross adopting a cautious approach with a player who has spent much of the last two years out of action with serious knee injuries.
“Lynden has trained and looked fine, so he should be OK to return to the squad on Saturday,” said Ross.
“Duncan got a bang on his knee in the first half at Bristol, just a knock. “He missed training at the start of the week but he’s back training again now and we will just see how he settles in after today.
“I’ve said a few times that anything we get from Duncan this season will be a bonus, but I thought he did well last Saturday. He didn’t run the game but he affected the game. “He was playing in a slightly different position and I took him off due to fatigue.
“We don’t have any particular plan now about how many minutes to play him. Sometimes he looks strong, sometimes he looks like he is breathing heavily, but any player can look like that.
“We have doubts over two or three others but nothing serious – we will check on them over the next 24 hours and gauge whether or not they are ready for Saturday.” Ross also confirmed Bryan Oviedo will miss out again due to a calf injury, while Donald Love – out of action since the beginning of September due to an ankle injury – is not yet ready to return.
He said: “Bryan is still out and Donald has been back in training for a couple of weeks now but obviously he has been out for a long time.”
Ross has rested defender Jack Baldwin for the last two games, leaving him out of the squad entirely, with Tom Flanagan and Jimmy Dunne starting, and naming Alim Ozturk as cover on the bench.
And Ross has indicated that Baldwin will not return to the squad this weekend.
“Jack is fully fit and has trained,” he said. “But Alim constantly trains well and has done well every time he has had an opportunity, so the competition for places has become more intense.
“I had a good chat with Jack and I think it was a good decision to take him out of things for a couple of weeks.”