THERE'S mixed news on the Sunderland injury front ahead of Saturday's trip to Plymouth, with Dan Ballard having shaken off the hamstring issue that forced him to sit out of Northern Ireland's win over Denmark at the start of this week - but Dennis Cirkin will again be missing.

Cirkin hasn't trained all week due to a hamstring issue and looks likely to be out of action until the middle of next month. The full-back missed a chunk of games in September and October because of the problem but returned for the defeat at Leicester and made three substitute appearances before aggravating the injury. 

He missed the win over Birmingham before the break and is not yet back in training.

But there was better news on Ballard, who trained on Thursday after returning from international duty and, providing there's no reaction in the next 24 hours, looks set to start at Plymouth.

GET FULL ACCESS TO ALL OF OUR SUNDERLAND COVERAGE BY SIGNING UP FOR A PREMIUM SUBSCRIPTION AT A DISCOUNTED COST OF JUST £6 FOR SIX MONTHS

Mowbray said: "Dennis isn't fit, he hasn't been training this week.

"Dan Ballard trained with us today, so we'll just to have manage that. We'll see if there's any reaction tomorrow and whether he can come with us. Trai Hume thankfully came through his games fine and Luke O'Nien, his suspension is over so he'll just keep rolling on.

"I'm not too sure how long Dennis will be out for at this stage, other than I know he isn't ready to train with us yet and he hasn't been training with us. I don't think it's any major injury, probably a few weeks [absence] with a muscle injury.

"There's no concerns, he'll be fine and back with us in a few weeks. In the meantime, we'll have to find other solutions."

Sunderland will be without Chris Rigg at Plymouth, with the teenage midfielder not yet back on Wearside after England's exit from the Under-17 World Cup. Jewison Bennette will also be missing at Home Park because of illness.