Sunderland need all the help they can get at the moment as they look to pull off yet another great escape in their quest for Premier League survival.
Sunderland’s Lee Cattermole
Steven Pienaar has suggested that Lee Cattermole continues to play a crucial role in Sunderland’s fight for Premier League survival despite the injury that has kept him out for several months, the Chronicle reports.
The 28-year-old has not played for the Black Cats since September due to a hip problem that the Chronicle suggests will keep him out of action until March.
While he is a divisive player amongst most football fans, David Moyes would no doubt have preferred to have had the midfielder available over the recent months as they battle to try and stay in the Premier League as there are few players as combative as Cattermole.
But Pienaar has suggested that the vice-captain still continues to be a major influence on the rest of the side even if he cannot contribute on the pitch.
Sunderland’s Steven Pienaar in action with Southampton’s Nathan Redmond
“You have players like Catts who is always talking even though he’s not involved,” he said, as reported by the Chronicle.
“He’s always the one coming in and pushing the players to give everything.”
Sunderland manager David Moyes
Moyes will be hoping that there are no issues during the remaining time that Cattermole is sidelined as his return could perhaps hand them a boost going into the final weeks of the season.
With the table so tight currently – Sunderland are just two points adrift of safety, and 13 off a top half spot – his return could be the lift they need to pull off yet another great escape.
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