Bruce won’t risk Cattermole

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce will not take any chances with key midfielder Lee Cattermole as he closes in on a return from injury. The 21-year-old midfielder has been out of action since damaging his medial ligament during the Black Cats' 1-0 Barclays Premier League win over Liverpool on October 17. Of the seven games he has missed, Sunderland have won only one, and Bruce admitted after his side's 1-0 defeat at Fulham on Sunday that they had missed the combative midfielder. However, while the Stockton- born player is expected to return to full fitness and be ready to play once again by the end of this month, his manager will take no risks. Bruce said: The one thing about Lee is, we will just have to make sure he is ready. Any time you have a medial ligament injury like he has, you have got to be a little bit careful. The last thing we want to do is bring him back too quickly. He has been absolutely fantastic in training. He has not joined in with us, but he is working extremely hard with the physios. He is not a million miles away, which will be a huge lift to everybody.'

Source: Northern_Echo