Chris Maguire a doubt for Sunderland's trip to Peterborough

While Marc McNulty returned to training this morning to confirm his availability for the trip to London Road, Maguire had to sit out the session at the Academy of Light after suffering a knock.

It is hoped last weekend’s hat-trick hero will be able to train before Jack Ross’ squad heads south tomorrow, but the Sunderland boss admits the forward is a doubt for Saturday’s game.

Ross said: “Marc has trained today, but Chris hasn’t. We’ll just have to see how both players react to training and not training, and where they are for the game.

“Duncan was scheduled to play on Wednesday but had a recurrence of his injury post-training on Tuesday. He is back out again. Ethan (Robson) is nearly at full fitness, but still hasn’t trained with the group. Joel Lynch is still a little bit behind fitness wise because he hasn’t really done a pre-season, but Chris is the new one this week.

“The others that missed the game last night were just rested, with the exception of Chris, who had a knock and hasn’t trained today. We’re hoping he might train tomorrow though.”

Watmore has been pencilled in for a place in the squad for last night’s Carabao Cup game at Burnley, but Ross had to redraw his plans after the winger complained of pain in his thigh after training on Tuesday.

He has suffered a succession of niggling problems since completing his recovery from a second cruciate ligament operation, and his latest setback will sideline him for the majority of next month.

Ross said: “He’s frustrated. He had this thigh injury, but he trained on Monday and Tuesday and looked good, and then just felt uncomfortable after training on Tuesday.

“I would imagine he will miss the next two to three weeks again, and then we’ll go from there. It’s difficult for him because it’s obviously been very stop-start for him for a long time now.”