O'Neill to make a fresh approach for Bolton striker Davies (From The Northern Echo)

O'Neill to make a fresh approach for Bolton striker Davies

8:56am Monday 30th January 2012 in Sunderland AFC News By Scott Wilson

MARTIN O'Neill will make a renewed approach for Bolton striker Kevin Davies this morning after admitting Sunderland's mounting injury crisis is forcing his hand in the final two days of the transfer window.

With Lee Cattermole sidelined because of a hamstring injury and Nicklas Bendtner ruled out for up to a month with a facial problem, O'Neill watched Connor Wickham and Wes Brown limp out of yesterday's FA Cup draw with Middlesbrough. Worryingly, Brown might well have damaged his medial ligaments.

Fraizer Campbell's second-half strike cancelled out Barry Robson's first-half opener to set up a fourth-round replay at the Riverside a week tomorrow, with the former Manchester United trainee making a goalscoring return after 17 months on the sidelines.

Campbell's return to full fitness could hardly be more timely given the absence of Bendtner, who broke his nose against Swansea, and Wickham, who was substituted at half-time yesterday after complaining of more pain in his knee.

Yet with the transfer window due to close at 11pm tomorrow, O'Neill will make a fresh attempt to sign Davies in order to bolster his attacking options.

The Sunderland boss spoke to his Bolton counterpart, Owen Coyle, last week, but was told Davies would not be leaving on loan. That remains Coyle's position, but the Trotters boss will allow the 34-year-old to leave on a permanent basis if, as expected, he succeeds in signing Wilfried Zaha from Crystal Palace.

Davies is out of contract at the end of the season, and Sunderland should be able to prise him from the Reebok Stadium for around £500,000.

“I have made an inquiry,” said O'Neill, who will be hoping for good news later today as both Brown and Cattermole undergo scans to reveal the full extent of their problems. “I think Owen would want to try to keep him, but I don't think he'd stand in his way if that was the way things played out. I might well follow that up.

“Once Wednesday comes around, then that's it in terms of the squad until the end of the season. We've got a couple of injuries to contend with and that's influencing our thoughts.

“There are a couple of things for us to consider, but we might have a look (at what is available). Even if we are unable to do something, we will still have a good look in the last couple of days of the window. I would like to be able to do something if we can.”

Campbell's return is effectively as good as securing a new signing, with the 24-year-old not having featured for Sunderland's first team since the third game of last season.

Successive cruciate ligament injuries threw the striker's career into doubt, but he battled back to full fitness despite a number of setbacks along the way.

Having travelled to Chelsea but failed to make the squad, he returned to the substitutes' bench yesterday and was thrown into the action as a half-time replacement for Wickham.

He had barely touched the ball when he received a deft pass from James McClean, but there were no signs of rustiness as he dispatched a crisp first-time finish past Danny Coyne.

“I'm delighted for Fraizer,” said O'Neill. “He has done so well to come back from the injuries he has sustained. He took his goal brilliantly, even though it was probably only his second or third touch. He gave us a bit of extra energy that we seemed to lack in the first half.

“Dave Galley (Sunderland physio) has been in the business for a good length of time and he says Fraizer might be the best that he's witnessed in terms of never being down.

“Because of the seriousness of the injuries, there were times when you thought that might be it, but he knuckled down every time and came back stronger. He's been coming in every day with a smile on his face, and he lifts everyone at the football club because of his attitude. It's great for him to have something to celebrate.”

Campbell's goal secured Sunderland a Riverside replay that could yet set up a fifth-round tie against Arsenal.

O'Neill was worried an upset was in the offing when Boro claimed the lead, but after Craig Gardner saw a 39th-minute effort controversially ruled out for offside against Wickham, who did not touch the ball, the Black Cats boss felt his side ultimately deserved a draw.

“I'm delighted we're still in the cup,” he said. “I thought we played very sloppily in the first half. Middlesbrough got a foothold in the game and by the time the goal came around, they deserved to be in front.

“We showed a lot more urgency in the second half, epitomised by the performance of Fraizer, and in the end, we deserve to still be in the hat.

“The disallowed goal was obviously a key moment. I've been told that it was given for offside, and it wasn't offside. There's a suggestion of handball beforehand, but I don't think they saw that. If it has been given for offside then it shouldn't have been. Connor hasn't touched the ball.”