Lee Johnson has given an update regarding team news ahead of Saturday’s crucial Play-Off semi-final second leg with Lincoln City.
Johnson touched on the latest with Aiden McGeady, confirming he is available to start the match should he be selected.
“Geads is all good. Since I’ve come in, I’ve had the option of starting him in every game, and that will continue to be the case,” the Head Coach said.
“He has been top quality throughout my tenure so far, he has understood his situation and proven his class.
“He wants to do well in tomorrow’s game for the football club – it cements him as a fantastic human and professional.”
Johnson assessed the possibility of Chris Maguire playing some part, branding the Scotsman a player with ‘that big-game way’.
“We know how Chrissy can perform in these big games – he started the Papa John’s Trophy final – and he’s in the squad for a reason.
“We’re always trying to get that balance of fitness, match sharpness and handling the occasion, and we know Chrissy fits that. He has that big-game way.”
With Denver Hume and Conor McLaughlin both ruled out for the remainder of the season – Hume sustaining his hamstring injury in the early stages of Wednesday’s first leg – Johnson explained that the defensive injury woes have been the most difficult aspect of his Sunderland career so far.
“I would say the hardest part of my tenure so far has been juggling the fitness and maintaining the back line. We’ve had so many defensive injuries over the course of the season.
“There has been Dion Sanderson, Jordan Willis, Luke O’Nien, Denver Hume, Conor McLaughlin, Tom Flanagan, Bailey Wright and Arbenit Xhemajli all with significant injuries. There are some excellent defenders in there – all those players fit would give us that solidarity and a real platform.
“We kept a lot of clean sheets earlier in the season when our most solid players were at their peak, with pacey players able to help us play with a high line and exert that pressure from the front. We’ll certainly look to be defensively on point on Saturday.”