Sunderland defender Lynden Gooch has confirmed that he will be ‘back out running’ on Monday after a spell on the sidelines at the Stadium of Light.
The Lowdown: Injury concerns
The American has been a regular feature for Tony Mowbray this season making 19 starts in the Championship but hasn’t featured since the 3-1 defeat to Swansea City in January.
The Black Cats boss has opted to play Trai Hume in the 27-year-old’s absence, but having missed the last five league games, he’s now delivered a positive update on his recovery and exactly what his injury has entailed.
The Latest: Gooch fitness update
Speaking to Sunderland’s official website, Gooch confirmed that he’s set to return to the grass at the Academy of Light and is hopeful that he’ll be available for selection again in the weeks ahead.
“I’m going to be back out running on Monday so just a couple of weeks away. It was my knee, a bit of cartilage damage so it has taken time to heal. I’m itching to get back out there.
“The lads have done brilliant, so I’ve got a lot of hard work ahead to get back into the team.”
The Verdict: Boost for Mowbray
Gooch has become a Sunderland fan favourite over the years having worked his way up through the academy ranks and it’ll be a huge boost for Mowbray to learn that he’ll soon have him back at his disposal.
The Santa Cruz native was averaging 1.6 clearances and 1.5 tackles per second-tier game prior to his absence and provided the manager with great versatility, having operated in four different positions throughout the season (WhoScored).
The Unique Sports Group client is also a threat in the final third having posted 62 senior goal contributions during his time in the northeast.
Gooch was previously dubbed a ‘warrior’ by former Black Cats manager Alex Neil, and he’ll undoubtedly use his fighting spirit to return to action as quickly as possible.
