Sunderland have been handed a second major injury scare of the international break after defender Dan Ballard was forced off while playing for Northern Ireland.
Ballard was withdrawn in stoppage time of Northern Ireland’s Nations League win over Georgia with what appeared to be a hamstring problem, adding to Regis Le Bris’ concerns ahead of the return of Premier League action.
It comes just 24 hours after striker Brian Brobbey also suffered a suspected hamstring injury during the Netherlands’ 1-1 draw with Germany.
Brobbey was forced off in the first half and has since withdrawn from the Dutch squad, with Manchester United striker Joshua Zirkzee called up as his replacement.
The 24-year-old had been in excellent form for Sunderland before the international break, scoring a hat-trick in their 5-3 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium.
Sunderland will now wait for further assessments on both Ballard and Brobbey to determine whether either player faces a spell on the sidelines.
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