SUNDERLAND have the option of turning to two of their returning players against West Ham United this Saturday after emerging through training unscathed this week.

But Gus Poyet, the Black Cats boss, has admitted that neither Emanuele Giaccherini nor Billy Jones are likely to be involved against the Hammers in fear of risking them too soon.

Playmaker Giaccherini has been missing with ankle trouble since mid-September and full-back Jones has not figured since October because of a hamstring injury.

But they are both nearing a return to the first team stage – even if they are unlikely to be risked when the high-flying Hammers turn up at the Stadium of Light this weekend.

"Giacchi and Billy are in contention, let's say,” said Poyet. “But it's too early for them at present and I don't want to rush them back. I prefer to reintegrate players when they are ready, not when we have to put them in.”

Sunderland are looking to halt West Ham in their surge to stay in the Champions League places and are buoyed by this week’s news that Connor Wickham has signed a new deal.

But West Ham boss Sam Allardyce believes Sunderland would be in a stronger position in the Premier League had Wickham and Steven Fletcher been in better form.

Allardyce said: “Sunderland are hugely difficult at home – playing them away has been tough for us.

“They’ve been struggling for goals recently. I think Connor Wickham and Steven Fletcher would’ve wanted a few more goals than they’ve got and if they had they would have converted their draws to wins.”