Whitehead on comeback trial

Sunderland skipper Dean Whitehead could return to action at Falkirk on Thursday night. The 25-year-old midfielder has been sidelined since damaging knee ligaments in training in August.

It was initially thought he could be missing for six months, effectively writing off the whole of his season. However, just as the former Oxford player had resigned himself to surgery to repair the damage, he was told his knee was already on the mend, and his recovery has continued apace ever since.