MICHAEL Chopra could make his first appearance for Sunderland since October in tonight's reserve team fixture with his former employers Newcastle.
Chopra is in line to play in the match at Eppleton as he attempts to prove he is worth a place in Ricky Sbragia's first team.
The 25-year-old's last outing for the Black Cats came as a substitute in a 1-0 defeat at Stoke on October 29 after spending two months on loan at Cardiff.
That temporary agreement was terminated at the start of the year, but an ankle injury has kept him out of action since.
Sbragia, however, is expected to give Chopra a chance to prove his fitness and his worth tonight, before he finalises his squad for Saturday's FA Cup fourth-round clash with Blackburn.
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