ELLIS SIMMS and Dennis Cirkin should both be available when Sunderland return to action after the international break with a home game against Preston.

Simms missed Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Watford as a result of the toe injury that forced him off during the first half of last week’s win at Reading.

The Everton loanee returned to light training at the end of last week, but Black Cats boss Tony Mowbray opted to not to take any risks at Vicarage Road.

Simms is set to step up his training programme later this week, and provided he does not suffer any setbacks, he should be back in the squad to face Preston when the Championship programme resumes on October 1.

“It was touch and go for Ellis (for the Watford game),” said Mowbray. “The common-sense thing to do was not to expose a problem with his toe that could easily have seen him go down after five or ten minutes.

“It’s okay having a jog about and thinking you’re okay, but in a Championship match, there’s no hiding place.

“I think it made more sense to give him a couple of weeks, then I would hope that by the Preston game when we restart, he will be in contention. We’ll have to wait and see because, until he starts and until he gets his boots on and starts sprinting, we won’t know.”

Cirkin was never in serious contention to play against Watford, having suffered a hamstring injury in the Tees-Wear derby defeat to Middlesbrough, but like Simms, the defender should be available for the Preston game after another two weeks of recovery and training under his belt.

“I don’t spend a lot of time in the physio room, but I get a report every single day and I would hope Dennis will be available on the back of this international break,” said Mowbray. “I’m not sure why he wouldn’t be, based on the information I’ve received.

“He still has to put his boots on and get back on the grass, and he has to start jogging. If that goes alright, then he can start running, and if that goes okay, he can start sprinting. Then, he’ll kick balls and start to twist and turn. If everything is fine, he’ll be available.”