SUNDERLAND will again be without Eliezer Mayenda and Dan Ballard for Tuesday's visit of Derby County, but Alan Browne is available to return.

After being forced to drop to the bench against Middlesbrough, Ballard missed Saturday's defeat at Watford because of the ankle injury he suffered in the final seconds of the defeat at Plymouth earlier this month.

He's not yet ready to return and neither is Mayenda, who was also missing at Vicarage Road on Saturday. Both are also expected to miss Friday's Leeds game.

But there's better news on Browne, who will return to the squad after missing two games with a knee problem.

RECOMMENDED READING:

“Alan Browne will be available, but Eliezer and Dan aren’t," said boss Regis Le Bris.

"We think that they will probably be back after the international break."

Le Bris has been impressed by new signing Aaron Connolly in training but says he's likely to resist any temptation to include the striker in his squad against Derby or Leeds this week.

He previously said Connolly will likely get his first taste of action after the international break.

"That's still the case," he said.

"He's fit, so that's good news. During training this week he's shown his qualities technically but also physically as well. I don't think we'll rush that prospect. We'll see, maybe it could be possible, but I'm not sure we will use this possibility."