SUNDERLAND midfielder Lee Cattermole will be sidelined for up to a month after suffering a tear in his thigh.

Cattermole missed last weekend’s 1-0 win over Fulham after he was dismissed in the previous weekend’s goalless draw at Wolves, and had been due to be available for tomorrow’s home game with Birmingham City.

However, he suffered an injury in training and was sent for a series of scans to assess the extent of the damage to his thigh.

Those scans have revealed as serious tear, and Cattermole is set to miss up to seven matches as he recuperates on the sidelines.

Paddy McNair will also have to sit out tomorrow’s game, and is not expected to be available for the trips to Sheffield United and Preston in Christmas week. However, the former Manchester United midfielder should be fit for the home game with Barnsley on New Year’s Day.

Sunderland boss Chris Coleman said: “Bryan Oviedo is back in the squad, which is a plus, but Lee Cattermole will be out for a month

“He’s had his thigh scanned, and it’s shown up that there’s a strain and a tear there so he’s going to be out for a month. That’s obviously a big blow for us.

“Paddy McNair is not going to be ready for tomorrow, but he’ll hopefully be ready for the Barnsley game.”