Jack Ross is confident Josh Maja will be fit to face Rochdale on Saturday, despite the striker missing training due to a knock.
Maja, who was named EFL Young Player of the Month for August earlier this week, is the club’s top scorer, and the Lads need him to keep firing after Charlie Wyke was ruled out for up to 12 weeks.
Dylan McGeouch is also expected to return to the squad, with Ross revealing the Scotland international has returned to training.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s game at the Stadium of Light, the boss provided all the latest team news from within the camp.
“Josh hasn’t trained today [Thursday], but hopefully should train tomorrow,” said Ross.
“Dylan McGeouch is back in the squad and has trained properly.”
He continued: “Once he is up and running, he will be a huge asset to us.
“It is a case of building up his physical resilience but also his mental resilience, he gets frustrated because he’s maybe not hitting the levels that he’s capable of, but that will come with each game.
“Beyond that, we have Duncan and Charlie out, and that’s it.
“Aiden McGeady has got another full week’s training in, he has been out for four months and he is playing catch-up with every day that passes.”