Championship side Sunderland are waiting on the news of Aiden McGeady’s recent injury which has ruled him out of Republic of Ireland’s World Cup qualifier this evening, reports The Sunderland Echo.

The 31-year-old moved to the Stadium of Light during the summer to end a testing time at Premier League side Everton, with whom he managed just 43 appearances and netted one goal in his three-year stint on Merseyside.

However, the winger has proven his worth to the Black Cats already this season with a goal and two assists in his first five Championship appearances, form that once again earned him a call-up to Martin O’Neill’s Republic of Ireland squad for qualifiers against Georgia and Serbia.

McGeady played the final half an hour against the former in Tbilisi on Saturday as O’Neill’s men could only muster a 1-1 draw, although he has reportedly been ruled out of tonight’s clash against Serbia at the Aviva Stadium, with Ireland knowing that victory would this evening take them top of the group.

And his absence from the clash this evening due to a hamstring problem has raised doubts about whether he’ll be fit for Sunderland when they return to Championship action against Sheffield United on Saturday.

The Black Cats have lost their last two league games and manager Simon Grayson will be looking for a response from his players at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, but he faces the very real prospect of having to do so without the influential winger.

The Verdict: Simon Grayson seems to know how to get the best out of Aiden McGeady, having done so to great effect at Preston North End last season.

And the Republic of Ireland international has made a fine start this term with a goal and two assists to underline his importance to this Sunderland team, so news that he’ll miss Ireland’s game against Serbia tonight would have probably not been very well received by the North East giants.

It remains to be seen the extent of McGeady’s injury, but with just a few days to go until Sunderland resume their Championship campaign, he faces a race against time to be fit for the visit of Sheffield United.

Sunderland fans… what do you make of the news? Let us know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below!