GUS POYET has been handed a triple injury boost ahead of Sunderland's game at Leicester City this weekend – with the best news of all being that Steven Fletcher will be available.

Fletcher has been Sunderland's most potent striker with four goals in the Premier League this season, but the forward limped off during Scotland's 1-0 win over the Republic of Ireland on Friday night leading to fears that he would miss Saturday's game at the King Power Stadium.

But Poyet has confirmed that the 27-year-old will be ready for the Foxes, and has also revealed that Ricky Alvarez and Sebastian Coates have returned to full training.

“Steven is okay – it was not nice at all watching the game and seeing Fletch coming off,” Poyet said. “Naturally as human beings we always think the worst, but we got in contact straight away with him and the Scottish medical staff, who were very good.

“They sent him back to us and we have done everything possible, so I will say I am 100 per cent sure he will play on Saturday.”

Losing Fletcher would have been a sizeable blow to Sunderland, with the former Wolves forward proving to be Poyet's most likely goal threat in recent matches. Connor Wickham or Jozy Altidore would have stepped into that position, but with Danny Graham going out on loan to Wolves and Emanuele Giaccherini's injury at Burnley earlier this season, Poyet has been frustrated by a lack of firepower from the bench which would have been exacerbated by Fletcher's omission.

With Alvarez and Coates returning to training, Poyet is now satisfied that the strength in depth that Sunderland boasted at the beginning of the season is starting to return again.

“Ricky and Seb are back, which is very welcome,” said Poyet of the pair, who signed on loan from Inter Milan and Liverpool respectively, and both picked up injuries against Stoke, in the Capital One Cup and the subsequent league game.

“They arrived on the last day of the transfer window with plenty of things to show and bring to the team.

“It’s going to bring competition; the idea now is to slowly start seeing if they are in contention to play.

“You never know when or how long it takes, but it’s good to have them back.”

Poyet may allow Altidore, whose United States side were beaten 4-1 by Ireland on Tuesday, to leave Wearside with French side Lille believed to be interested in the striker, when the transfer window opens in January.

Meanwhile, Black Cats midfielder Seb Larsson broke a Sunderland record after featuring for Sweden against France on Tuesday, becoming the most-capped international in a red and white shirt.

Charlie Hurley earned 38 caps for Ireland while a Sunderland player, but Larsson equalled that last week and then overtook it when he played a part in Sweden's 1-0 defeat against Le Bleus.

But the 29-year-old is still irked by Erik Hamren's decision to bench him for the Euro 2016 qualifiers against Liechenstein and Montenegro last month, telling Swedish reporters: “It was clear that I was frustrated last month and did not play the important game this time either, so that frustration has not disappeared.

“But now there are no national team games for a while, so I can put that aside and focus on my club.”