SUNDERLAND’S dramatic win at Preston today came at a cost – with Tony Mowbray admitting Dennis Cirkin and Lynden Gooch are both nursing injuries that could keep them out of the first leg of the play-off semi-final against Luton Town.

The Black Cats have been ravaged by defensive problems in the last few months, with Danny Batth, Dan Ballard and Aji Alese both nursing long-term issues that have kept them on the sidelines.

Cirkin and Gooch have now joined the injury list, with the former having suffered an ankle injury in the first half of today’s 3-0 victory at Deepdale. Cirkin was unable to reappear for the second half, and is set to have a scan in the next 24 hours to ascertain the full extent of the problem.

Gooch’s problem is less serious, although it also prevented him from being able to play the full 90 minutes against Preston.

“We’ll have to wait and see,” said Mowbray, after second-half goals from Amad Diallo, Alex Pritchard and Jack Clarke secured Sunderland’s place in the play-offs. “We've picked up an injury to Dennis and to Goochy.

“We are running out of defenders rapidly and they (Luton) have two 6ft 4 strikers so as I sit here now, the conundrum in front of us is a really difficult one. We've got this week to prepare and decide how we want to do it, and with the help of the fans I'm sure we can give a good account of ourselves and hopefully something to hold onto.

“Dennis’ ankle, he couldn't move it. It had swollen up on him and he had no feeling in it, we'll have to wait and see. I sit here and hope we can strap it up or whatever and send him out to play, we'll see.

“Gooch, I've got less concern about because to be honest, I think if his leg is hanging off he'll go out and play. Let's hope we get positive news through the week. I know the supporters will drive the team on and hopefully we'll be competitive regardless.”

Edouard Michut spent most of today’s game on the substitutes’ bench as he had been suffering from an illness that prevented him from training for most of last week.

“Michut has been ill all week,” said Mowbray. “He hasn’t trained with the team. He came to the hotel at ten o’clock last night, on his own with a driver. We put him on the bench, and we felt at 3-0 it was worth bringing him on because he gives us a level of control that other players maybe don’t.”