Tony Mowbray reveals fresh Sunderland injury blow ahead of Wigan trip

Sunderland have a defensive injury crisis on their hands - again.

Tony Mowbray has revealed a fresh Niall Huggins injury has added to Sunderland’s defensive woes, but it’s not a serious one.

Huggins has played just one game in more than a year after initially impressing since his move from Leeds in the summer of 2021.

That game came away at Birmingham, when he pushed himself through the whole 90 minutes to help solve a defensive injury crisis.

However, he won’t be able to do that again against Wigan and Blackpool – because he is part of it.

"Unfortunately Niall Huggins is injured,” Mowbray said. “He's agitated a little problem in his ankle. It's not serious and it's not a long issue - but he won't be able to travel with us.

“That adds to our defensive issues, he did so well against Birmingham City before the break."

Lynden Gooch and Dennis Cirkin both limped out of Sunderland’s Boxing Day win over Blackburn, and Danny Batth and Aji Alese were already out.

It’s causing a bit of a headache for Mowbray ahead of the northwest double-header.

Niall Huggins in action for Sunderland against Birmingham

"I don't want to give too much away the day before a big game - it's probably just best to say that we've got a few issues defensively," Mowbray said.

"I think it's fair to say that Aji Alese isn't going to make it, Danny Batth is probably touch and go in terms of whether he can make it at some point across the two games.

"Gooch will be touch and go, and with Dennis Cirkin we're still waiting for the results of his scan, it's his hip rather than his knee but whether he can travel with us will depend on those results. If it's just a bruise, there's every chance he comes along.

"It's a little bit uncertain at the moment - and of course we have to be careful with Dan Ballard's game time after so long out. We of course have [Luke] O'Nien, Bailey Wright, and Trai Hume did really well when he came on the other day.”

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