Tony Mowbray provides update on return of missing Sunderland duo | OneFootball

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Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has given an encouraging update on the missing midfield duo of Corry Evans and Elliot Embleton.

Evans has been out for eight months after rupturing his cruciate in January during a 2-0 win over local rivals Middlesbrough.

But he has been doing some limited training out on the grass at the Academy of Light as he works his way back to a return hopefully in the new year.

Embleton, on the other hand, suffered a thigh injury during his loan spell with Derby County. It was a real hammer blow for the Durham-born man who had just returned to action after missing the majority of last season with a broken ankle and ligament damage.

Mowbray has given updates on both men as they look to return to action soon.

Corry Evans and Elliot Embleton update

Speaking to the Chronicle Live about the progress on Corry Evans, Mowbray said "I think with that injury, we allocate a certain amount of time for it," said Mowbray. "There's a lot of stuff he's doing that I don't see - in the gym, strengthening, doing the work that needs to be done.

"When you've had a cruciate, you need to strengthen the whole body. And yet he comes out onto the grass and does some strides up and down, do some little sidefoot passes against a bounce-board, but in my mind, it's still into the New Year [until he returns] probably.

"It will probably be Christmastime before he is back training with the group, and then the New Year before he is in contention, so he's still a couple of months away."

Mowbray went on to give an update on Embleton, hinting he'll be back "sooner rather than later".

He said "I haven't seen Elliot around [the training ground] this week. We all feel for him having been out for eight months [with a broken ankle] so then after the injury at Derby he was in a pretty low place for a while.

"This is why dressing rooms have to be tight and the players have to care about each other. He'll be in that dressing room, the lads have to lift him because while they are putting their boots on and having a bit of banter before going out to train, he'll be going the other way into the gym to do some very hard work on his own.

"It's not ideal, it's not nice, but hopefully everybody supports him and he'll be back sooner rather than later. The sad thing about it for Elliot is that he just loves football - he just wants to play.

"I don't think he minds if we say 'you're not going to play, go out on loan', he just wants to play. He doesn't want to be a sub, he doesn't want to not play, he just wants to play.

"And he has amazing talent with both feet, he can take corners with his left and his right, he takes free-kicks with his left and his right, he just wants the ball in every five-a-side. Sadly, he's been deprived of that because of an injury, so we need to keep on supporting him."

What does this news mean for Sunderland?

It's positive news on Evans for Sunderland but not so for Embleton.

Evans was a key part of Sunderland's midfield last year and the injury to him was a massive blow but one that Mowbray and his staff managed well.

His return could certainly sure up that midfield for the Black Cats and add a little bit of extra quality at times.

Embleton is a sad one, he is a very promising player, but these setbacks could damage his confidence and ability.