PAUL THIRLWELL insists he would rather be on the Sunderland bench than playing if it meant Colin Healy was not ruled out for the rest of the season, writes Paul Fraser.

Thirlwell looks set to replace the Irishman in the middle of the pitch at West Ham tomorrow.

Healy underwent an operation on Wednesday on the broken leg he sustained in Monday night's 1-1 draw with Coventry City.

Thirlwell, who has not started a first team game since the win over Reading in September, is ready for a recall.

But he said: "No player wants to come in under those circumstances. I would rather Colin was 100 per cent fit than anything like that happen to him.

"If I get my chance then great, and hopefully we can get a good result. It's just unfortunate that Colin has to sit it out.

"Anyone of us could have had that done to us at any given minute. He'll just have to try to keep his spirits up and the lads will all go and see him."

Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy is still reeling from the terrifying tackle by Youssef Safri which led to Healy being carried off on a stretcher and spending the night in a Coventry hospital.

The referee on the night, Michael Jones, amazingly waved play on, despite standing just yards away from the incident.

McCarthy cannot believe that Mr Jones still believes he was right to allow play to go on.

"I'm not out to get Safri. I'm not on any witch-hunt for him because I can't say it was intentional or meant," said McCarthy.

"It was a bad challenge but what gets me is that if officials are still saying there is nothing wrong with the tackle even now, after the incident, then there's something seriously amiss."

McCarthy confirmed that Healy will be missing for the rest of the season, but he indicated that the operation went well.

"It's really sad for Colin because he has been doing brilliantly for us," he said. "It was a bad tackle and I've watched it another five or six times and it's still stomach churning now.

"I saw Colin when he came out of the operating theatre and he was a bit groggy. The surgeon is pleased with how things have gone. Colin has been suffering, as you would imagine. Colin won't be looking to play this season, that's for sure.

"It's a terrible time. He will feel sorry for himself at certain times. He will get angry and upset with everybody and that's when he will need friends around him."

Meanwhile, Thomas Butler looks like being the one to benefit from Stewart Downing's return to Middlesbrough after a loan spell.

Butler, a right-footed player who regularly plays on the opposite flank, has not played since picking up an ankle injury against Cardiff in September.