TONY MOWBRAY has ruled out any chance of Dan Ballard featuring in Monday’s do-or-die play-off battle at Preston.

Ballard has been sidelined since suffering a hamstring injury while on international duty with Northern Ireland in March, but there had been hopes he might have recovered in time to be involved in the final game of the regular campaign.

Mowbray hinted at the weekend that was unlikely, and the Black Cats boss has now confirmed Ballard will not be part of the squad at Deepdale.

Sunderland have a couple of other minor injury issues, but Mowbray is hopeful the players that featured against Watford last weekend will all be available to face Preston.

He said: “Ballard won’t be affecting this game, but I hope there’s nothing else. I hope there’s nothing.

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“There were one or two not training today for different reasons. Without giving any names away, one woke up with a crick in his neck, his neck was a bit stiff, and with modern-day footballers, that’s enough for them not to train. One wasn’t feeling well, but should be alright in the next day or two.

“I’m hoping that come the weekend, we’ll have Saturday and Sunday training before going to play on Monday and we’ll have a full squad. Or at least what the squad has been.”