Which injured Sunderland players will be back after the World Cup?

Tony Mowbray has given an update on Sunderland's injury situation, and it's all sounding very positive.

Tony Mowbray issued the injury update all Sunderland fans have been hoping to hear as he reported the Black Cats expect nearly a completely clean bill of health after the World Cup.

Sunderland beat Birmingham 2-1 at St Andrews to head into the World Cup break on a high. It solidifies what has been a decent first part of the season.

That could have been even better had it not been for injuries, though. Ellis Simms, Ross Stewart, Dan Ballard, Lynden Gooch and Aji Alese were all missing for Sunderland at St Andrews, as well as Dennis Cirkin who joined the list of walking wounded.

That, along with a one-match suspension for Luke O’Nien, forced Niall Huggins to make an earlier-than-expected first start since he overcame the back injury that kept him out for a year.

However, after the game Mowbray said he expects to have them all, with the exception of Ballard, back available when the Black Cats resume their season in three weeks.

“Cirkin has a calf problem,” Mowbray told BBC Radio Newcastle. “I think it’s two weeks so I would hope that by Millwall on December 3 he’ll be back

“Aji Should be available as well. I think Ballard is going to be touch and go. Probably too soon for him by early December, but Gooch will definitely be available.

“So it looks better, and I would say Ross Stewart will probably be available as well. A bit like Ellis [Simms], though, he’ll probably come off the bench, but it’s good that the team is starting to come back [together] really.”