PATRICK van Aanholt will learn later today if he needs surgery on the shoulder injury he sustained playing for Sunderland at Crystal Palace on Monday night.

The Dutch defender, a summer signing from Chelsea, suffered the problem when he fell during the 3-1 win at Selhurst Park and has been assessed since.

Black Cats boss Gus Poyet will now hear an update on the left-back’s situation this afternoon when it will be decided if van Aanholt is to be sidelined for months rather than weeks.

Poyet said: “We will find out today if he needs an operation. It will be weeks regardless. If it is an operation that is needed then after surgery we will know exactly the length he will be out.

“Luckily it is international week and we should have (Sebastian) Coates back, we have a small chance of Billy Jones coming closer too. In football you need to adapt whoever is ready to play.”

Sunderland will have to reshuffle the back four for Sunday’s visit of Everton, with French defender Anthony Reveillere expected to fill the hole left by van Aanholt despite preferring to play right-back.

Poyet is searching for back-to-back wins for the first time this season after ending the wait at Crystal Palace and there has been an improvement in confidence on the training ground this week.

But he insists he was never concerned and wants his players to focus on moving up the table rather than what is below them ahead of a tough test against the Toffees.

“We have trained with just a few because of injuries this week, we have even had a few of the younger players in and they could make the bench,” said Poyet, who has Lee Cattermole ruled out through suspension so Liam Bridcutt is favourite to slot in.

“We are desperate for the international break to try to get a few players back. We were very close to winning before the Stoke game and I said that a number of times.

“For some reason we didn’t. Now we have won again, and if we could win on Sunday then we could be in the top ten. That is the Premier League. It is tight. We won last week and we have to make sure we are ready for this one.”