Sunderland sweating on fitness of 30-goal talisman ahead of potential play-off meeting with Portsmouth
Sunderland are sweating on the fitness of top-goalscorer Charlie Wyke ahead of the League One play-offs.
The striker has been the Black Cats’ talisman in their latest bid to remove their third-tier shackles.
Wyke has plundered 30 goals in 51 appearances, with two of his efforts arriving in both meetings against Pompey.
However, he was absent for Sunderland’s 3-1 at Plymouth on Saturday with a thigh injury.
As things stand, the third-placed Black Cats will face the sixth-place Blues in the play-off semi-finals – just like they did two years ago.
But if that’s the case then Sunderland might be without Wyke, although Lee Johnson’s hopeful the ex-Bradford man’s setback isn’t too serious.
He told the Newcastle Chronicle: ‘We hope it's not serious for Charlie.
‘First and foremost, it's a thigh problem, and we hope it's just a superficial tear rather than in the belly of the muscle.
‘He's also got an infected tooth - well, bone really. That needs to be fixed and it'll be a little operation, but he should only be out for a couple of days.’
Sunderland were also without winger Aiden McGeady at Plymouth, although he’s been managing a foot problem.