There was good news for Sunderland fans as it was announced that Paddy McNair and Josh Maja will step up their return from injuries with an U-23 game on Friday. The pair haven't featured this season but won't be far away from the first-team now.

Northern Ireland international McNair suffered a setback in July which meant he missed the start of the season after a long-term injury, whilst Maja fell to a knee injury in pre-season. Simon Grayson needs all the players he can get, with the club sitting 23rd in the table and without a home win in 2017.

Speaking to the Sunderland Echo, the manager admitted he is looking forward to working with the pair. “Josh was one of the shining stars of pre-season with his goals, work-rate and quality. It was a big blow when we didn't have him, coupled with some other strikers being out the first month. It is nice to have him back and good to see Paddy get 45 minutes on Monday as well.”

McNair is likely to need longer to recover having not played since last November because of a cruciate injury. The game will be against Everton U-23 at Finch Farm on Friday night, and Sunderland fans will be hoping they can come through it unscathed.

The Verdict

Sunderland have had plenty of misfortune with injuries this season and the return of Paddy McNair and Josh Maja will be very welcome. Maja in particular was a real source of hope in pre-season and if he can replicate that form he could make a big impact on the division. As for McNair, he has proven his quality over the years but will need to be handled carefully as he comes back from such an awful injury.

What do you think Sunderland fans? Will these players make a big difference when fit? Let us know in the comments below.