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Sunderland could have a bit of an injury crisis this weekend, as five first team players are expected to miss the trip to Rochdale.

What’s the word?

The Black Cats bounced back from the Wembley defeat with a professional and clinical performance at Accrington Stanley on Wednesday, but all is not going to plan for the Black Cats.

As confirmed by a club update, Aiden McGeady, Reece James, Lee Cattermole, Adam Matthews and Chris Maguire could all miss the game against Rochdale.

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Maguire is nearing a return from a leg injury while McGeady picked up a problem at the Crown Ground on Wednesday.

Cattermole has been struggling since the cup final, and James damaged his groin on Sunday as well. Matthews was supposed to return last week but agitated a pre-existing hamstring injury.

Lack of playmakers

With no disrespect intended towards the 27 year-old, Matthews isn’t a huge loss due to the superb form of Luke O’Nien, who has taken to the right back position like a duck to water.

However, the lack of midfield options could surely bite Jack Ross and his side given how they have struggled to break teams down and add that second or third goal in the past.

Without Maguire or McGeady, the Black Cats will have to rely on the likes of Lynden Gooch and George Honeyman for their creativity, neither of which are in particularly good form.

And of course, Rochdale are in a ridiculously tight relegation scrap that sees eight teams within three points of each other, so they could well sit deep and defend for a draw, knowing they have easier opponents to come.

Without McGeady’s and Maguire’s ability to produce something out of nothing and Cattermole’s new-found knack of grabbing goals from midfield, breaking down the Dale is going to be very tough indeed.