Sunderland FC

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Ligament woe for Cattermole

20 Oct 2009 - 11:41:45

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Sunderland midfielder Lee Cattermole is facing three months on the sidelines with knee ligament damage.

The England Under-21 international was stretchered off during Saturday's 1-0 Premier League victory over Liverpool and scans have confirmed medial ligament damage.

However, manager Steve Bruce is relieved that the tenacious midfielder is not facing a longer spell on the sidelines after initial suggestions that Cattermole's season might have been over with a cruciate knee ligament blow.

"We think it will be at least 12 weeks for Catts," Bruce told the Sunderland Echo."He's done his medial ligament. It's not good news, but it's the best we could have hoped.

"We were all praying he hadn't done his cruciate and damaged cartilage, which thankfully he hasn't. But he's still out for the best part of three months."

Meanwhile, striker Kenwyne Jones is unlikely to be able to face Birmingham City on Saturday after picking up ankle problem during the same game.

Scans have revealed no significant injury, but the Trinidad & Tobago international is a major doubt for the trip to St Andrew's.