LEON DAJAKU is winning his battle to be fit for Sunderland’s game at Doncaster Rovers on Monday.

Dajaku was injured in a tackle with Sam Morsy during last weekend’s draw at Ipswich, and was forced to sit out Tuesday’s Carabao Cup quarter-final defeat at Arsenal.

The German loanee’s condition has improved significantly in the last couple of days though, and he is on track to be part of the squad that travels to the Keepmoat Stadium for Monday’s lunchtime kick-off.

Sunderland assistant manager Jamie McAllister said: “It was obviously a contact injury, with quite a bit of swelling and stuff like that.

“But he’s progressing well. Hopefully, it should be all good (for Monday’s game).”

With Doncaster’s Covid situation easing, Monday’s game in South Yorkshire is currently not at risk.

Sunderland have had no new positive test results since the one case that Lee Johnson confirmed ahead of the Arsenal game, with the club’s players having been issued with a set of guidelines governing their movements over the Christmas weekend.

McAllister said: “It’s all good with Covid, touch wood at the moment.

“The lads have all been well versed on what they can and can’t do – we’ve spoken to them about that. We’ve talked about who they mingle with and what they do away from the club.

“We’ve talked about who they socialize with at Christmas, so they know what’s required when they’re outside of the club in terms of the Covid measures and the restrictions and protocols.”