Sunderland have announced they will be without captain Lee Cattermole for four months after the midfielder underwent surgery in the US for a hip injury.
Cattermole, 28, hasn’t featured for the Black Cats since a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Crystal Palace at the end of September.
The combative midfielder isn’t a footballer appreciated by most, but David Moyes’ side have certainly missed his passion and tenacity in the middle of the park, as they sit bottom of the table and six points adrift of safety.
“Lee Cattermole had an operation in America on Monday on a torn cartilage in his hip and will be out for four months. He’s out there just now, coming back in the next day or two, I think,” The Guardian quote Moyes as saying.
Moyes is already dealing with a heavy injury crisis that has midfielders like Jan Kirchoff and Jack Rodwell on the sidelines, and with Steven Pienaar suspended, Sunderland find themselves in a difficult position entering a huge run of fixtures.
Since the 2009/10 season only Gareth Barry has picked up as many yellow cards in the Premier League as Cattermole (both 56).
For more stats on Lee Cattermole, click here to visit his WhoScored player page
