Poyet prays for Fletcher return
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet remains hopeful that striker Steven Fletcher will be able to return before the end of the season. The Scottish striker has missed Sunderland's last four games due after suffering damage to his ankle ligaments in the draw with Crystal Palace at the Stadium of Light last month.
Sunderland have seven league games remaining, with three coming in the final week of the campaign, and Poyet hopes Fletcher will be able to play some part in his side's survival bid, although he admits it appears unlikely the 27-year-old will feature again this season.
"It's not good and it's going to be difficult (for Fletcher to return)," Poyet told the Echo.
"But we're trying our best to use him, whether it's possible for one game, two games or three games.
"Imagine if we had him for the final week of the season - that would be three games. "I'm not going to give up on him, but maybe that's me. "At the moment though, it's difficult to say."