Nosworthy blow for Black Cats

Sunderland defender Nyron Nosworthy could be sidelined for up to four weeks by the hamstring injury he suffered against Northampton in the Carling Cup in midweek.

Nosworthy, like midfielder Grant Leadbitter, who broke his nose and suffered concussion in the same game, will miss tomorrow’s Barclays Premier League trip to Aston Villa as a result.

Full-back Phil Bardsley is a doubt with an ankle problem, but Geroge McCartney is available after missing the Carling Cup tie because he had already played in the competition for West Ham. Meanwhile, Russell Anderson has returned froom his loan spell at Burnley after damaging his cruciate ligament and is due to undergo surgery which will rule him out for the rest of the season.

Provisional squad: Gordon, Fulop, Chimbonda, Ferdinand, Collins, McCartney, Bardsley, Diouf, Whitehead, Miller, Reid, Richardson, Malbranque, Tainio, Cisse, Murphy, Healy, Stokes, Chopra.