Mike Dodds outlines realistic timeframe for Sunderland trio's return

Corry Evans, Bradley Dack, and Aji Alese are expected to return to action for Sunderland soon, but Mike Dodds has cautioned that none of the three will be available for this important three-match stretch.

After missing over a year due to an ACL injury, club captain Corry Evans is back to full training. However, he will first play two U21 matches before considering a return to Championship action. He is therefore unlikely to be in contention prior to the March international break.

Even though Alese and Dack have been practicing with their first squad colleagues, they are still a long way from being picked.

“With Bradley and Aji, the next step is to integrate them into full training,” Dodds stated.

“At the present, they come and go from the group based on our plans; we just need to exercise caution when it comes to complete contact and similar things. Thus, at this point, I would say they are semi-integrated.

“Corry is back in full training mode despite being gone for more than a year. That being said, I think the plan is for him to play in a couple U21 matches, perhaps against Manchester City and Newcastle United. We will assess him when he plays a little while in those games. Corry won’t be in the starting lineup for a while, but after those games, we’ll monitor his progress and if he plays well, his chances of getting chosen will increase.”

According to Dodds, Patrick Roberts’ return following the March international break is still a few weeks away, and a reasonable return date has been established.

“Yeah, Pat is stepping up his rehab but he’s not out on the grass as of yet,” Dodds stated.

“So there’s still a few more weeks there, he hasn’t really come into my though processes yet but of course, he’ll be a huge boost in terms of what we’re trying to do.”

Mike Dodds outlines realistic timeframe for Sunderland trio’s return

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