TONY MOWBRAY has played down the seriousness of the injuries sustained by Jenson Seelt and Jay Matete during the final game of Sunderland’s US tour.

Seelt and Matete both hobbled off as the Black Cats rounded off their Stateside trip with a 4-2 win over North Carolina at the weekend.

The start of the new Championship season is now less than a fortnight away, with Sunderland having two more pre-season matches to play – at home to Real Mallorca on Saturday and away to Hartlepool United the following Tuesday night.

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And Mowbray has suggested that Seelt, who joined Sunderland from PSV Eindhoven this summer, and Matete, who is back in the fold after spending the second half of last season on loan at Plymouth Argyle, will both be available to feature in those friendlies if required.

The Black Cats boss said: “I don’t think it’s anything too serious, I think they’re just knocks.

“Jenson has had an ankle problem, and every time he gets a knock on it, I think it shakes him up a little bit. But I don’t think there’s a major problem there.

“Jay just took a kick. He scored a great goal (against North Carolina) and was full of energy, breaking forward. I’m sure he’ll be fine.”