Sunderland's Patrick Roberts goes off injured(Image: PA)

Latest Sunderland injury news ahead of their New Year's Day clash with Preston North End

All the latest updates on Sunderland's injured players ahead of their game against Preston North End at the Stadium of Light

by · ChronicleLive

Sunderland kick off 2024 at home to Preston North End and with new boss Michael Beale counting the cost of the gruelling festive period. The Black Cats have picked up a fresh injury in each of Beale's three games in charge so far, starting with defender Niall Huggins' season-ending knee injury in last weekend's defeat against Coventry City and then with midfielder Bradley Dack limping out of the Boxing Day win at Hull City.

The bad luck continued on Friday night when winger Patrick Roberts was forced off early in the draw against basement side Rotherham United at the New York Stadium. There was some good news for Beale against the Millers as French full-back Timothee Pembele made his long-awaited debut after recovering from the long-term injury that had affected him since he arrived in the summer, while defender Aji Alese was named on the bench for the first time this season after recovering from the thigh injury that has kept him out since May, and Dennis Cirkin is also nearing a return.

The point at Rotherham saw Sunderland drop out of the play-off places but they will move back into the top six if they beat Preston, although they will also need Hull to drop points later in the tea-time kick-off if they are to remain there come the end of the day. Sunderland give an injury update ahead of every game and here ChronicleLive has pulled together the latest information we have on the players who are currently in the treatment room at the Academy of Light.

Patrick Roberts

Roberts limped off in the first half of Sunderland's draw at Rotherham on Friday with an unspecified muscle injury. The winger will need to be assessed but in the immediate aftermath of the game Beale was hopeful that he had not done serious damage.(Image: Richard Lee/REX/Shutterstock)

Bradley Dack

Midfielder Dack suffered a hamstring injury in Sunderland's Boxing Day win at Hull. He will need to undergo a scan to determine the extent of the damage before a timescale can be put on his recovery.(Image: Sunderland AFC via Getty Images)

Niall Huggins

Huggins was stretchered off inside the final ten minutes of Sunderland's 3-0 defeat against Coventry City with a serious knee injury. The Black Cats have confirmed that the 23-year-old will undergo surgery and will miss 'at least' the remainder of the 2023-24 season.(Image: Richard Lee/REX/Shutterstock)