Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray provides injury update on Everton loanee Ellis Simms
Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray has given an update on Everton loanee Ellis Simms after the forward limped off with an injury during the club’s 3-0 win over Reading.
Mowbray was fearful that the injury might have been long-term, nevertheless, it seems the Everton loanees injury to his big-toe wasn’t a break after all.
Simms will undergo a late fitness test this afternoon and if the youngster fails that, Mowbray fully expects the forward to be back in action after the international break.
Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, Mowbray remained positive on Simms injury situation and claimed it’s not the end of the world if he misses the Watford game tomorrow.
“We’re hoping he’s going to be OK. It’s going to be a case of him getting his boot on – seeing what it’s like.
“I’ve just been talking to him there at breakfast, he’ll have a jog about on the grass today and we’ll wait and see. If the worst comes to worst and he can’t make the game tomorrow, we’ve got a break for two weeks and I’m sure he’ll be fine after that.
“It’s touch and go [for tomorrow] as I sit here now, it’ll depend on our training session this afternoon and how he goes in that.
“It’s not all doom and gloom, even if Ellis doesn’t make tomorrow we scored three goals without him on the pitch on Wednesday night. We have to find a way, we know we’re playing a really strong side who were in the Premier League last year.”
Good news
It seems Simms’s injury is far better than first feared; this is great news for Evertonians and Sunderland fans, with the forward needing as much game-time as possible during his loan spell.
Mowbray wouldn’t have come out and said the player can be involved in light training if he was severely injured.
Simms has had a solid start to life at the Stadium of Light and Frank Lampard will of been watching his progress closely with the Everton manager highlighting his lack of forward options as a concern.
Hopefully, Simms can get back into Championship action sooner rather than later; he’ll need to prove his worth to avoid the Blues considering splashing out on a striker this summer.
The 21-year-old will be hoping to improve on his 3 goals in 8 Championship matches; a lively start but not enough to be considered for a Premier League birth.
However, under the guidance of Mowbray, Simms has a manager who can craft and mold him into a much bigger force; this bodes well for the Blues and Lampard will have been all too aware of that.