Cattermole out for 12 weeks at Sunderland

High-flying Sunderland will have to do without influential midfielder Lee Cattermole for at least 12 weeks due to injury.

He sustained the knee injury during Saturday’s 1-0 home win over Liverpool in the Premier League and the initial fear was that his season could be over.

Manager Steve Bruce though countered that the damage was not as extensive as first thought and that he could be facing just a 12-week absence.

“He’s done his medial ligament. It’s not good news, but it’s the best we could have hoped,” Bruce told the Sunderland Echo.

“We were all praying he had not done his cruciate and damaged cartilage, which thankfully he hasn’t – but he’s still out for the best part of three months.”