Chris Coleman provides fitness update on Sunderland’s Darron Gibson

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Darron Gibson was taken off with a groin injury in Sunderland’s latest match.

Chris Coleman has told the Chronicle that the only reason he picked Darron Gibson to start against Barnsley, is because of his lack of options at Sunderland.

Gibson went into the game against Barnsley having featured regularly over the Christmas period, and Coleman knew he was taking a risk by picking the former Everton man again.

In the end, the gamble backfired, as Gibson damaged his groin and had to be taken off injured.

And Coleman insists he would have given Gibson more protection, if he had any other options in midfield.

“It looks like we will lose Darron Gibson for some time,” said Coleman. “I had no choice but to play him because Paddy McNair was not fit.

“We lose Darron now but we had nowhere else to turn apart from a few young ones. It is not a great way to start the New Year.”

Gibson has been one of Sunderland’s most improved players since Coleman took charge, so his absence will now be a major blow.

Sunderland will hope that the 30-year-old is not sidelined for too long, as they need all the quality available to them that they possess.

Sunderland are locked in a relegation battle, and after their 1-0 defeat to Barnsley yesterday, they have slipped back into the bottom three.

Coleman’s side are next in action in the FA Cup, when they take on Tony Pulis’ Middlesbrough side.