JASON DENAYER thinks Sunderland’s relatively small squad still has the options to cope after the news that Northern Irish midfielder Paddy McNair will not play again this season.

McNair has had it confirmed he is unlikely to play again this year after learning he ruptured a cruciate knee ligament during the first half of the 3-0 win over Hull City, even if he continued to play for the majority of the game.

It is a further blow to Sunderland after the news Lee Cattermole’s hip problem means he is unlikely to play again until spring.

But the bigger picture is the treatment room has eased somewhat in recent weeks and Jan Kirchhoff is close to making a return to compete for a place in the middle, where Jason Denayer operated against Hull.

The versatile Belgian said: “It’s difficult because Paddy’s out until the end of the season and it’s going to feel longer for him than for us. He’s going to be looking at people playing football and he cannot play.

“He’s going to look at people running, he cannot run. I think it’s going to be very difficult for him. He might need to be strong and work hard to come back.

“It’s difficult because right now we have some other injuries as well. But we’ve got the players to deal with such setbacks. It’s only one who’s going to be out for a long time, everybody else is coming back and he can also come back from this type of injury. I just saw him yesterday. He was sad but didn’t speak too much.”

McNair’s situation has not been helped by the fact there has had to be a delay before he goes under the knife to rectify the problem. It is a frustrating time for the 21-year-old who has started to settle down following his summer move from Manchester United.

Sunderland boss David Moyes, whose side face Liverpool on Saturday on the back of two straight victories, said: “He probably won’t have his operation for over a week because he’s got a cut on his knee and they can’t operate while there is an open wound, so we have to wait until that heals so it might be a week or two.

“We won’t see him again this season and all we can hope is getting him right for the start of next season. He probably won’t have his operation for over a week because he’s got a cut on his knee and they can’t operate while there is an open wound, so we have to wait until that heals so it might be a week or two.

“We won’t see him again this season and all we can hope is getting him right for the start of next season.”

While injuries have not helped Sunderland’s disappointing start to the Premier League season, Denayer has looked impressive during the last couple of games after being asked to play midfield.

He has made eight appearances this season but only three starts have come in the league, but he is determined to make the most of his chance to prove he deserves to be a regular in the English top-flight.

Denayer has had spells on loan at Celtic and Galatasaray before joining Sunderland for the season from Manchester City and he is not prepared to discuss what could happen at the end of his current loan deal at the Stadium of Light.

He said: “Right now I would prefer just to stay focused on this season and see what will happen at the end. For me, it’s easier when you play. But, like I say, now I just focus on this season, and whatever happens next season, I’ll just wait until the season is finished.”