Nathan Broadhead set for Sunderland return as Alex Neil gives positive Alex Pritchard update

Nathan Broadhead could be in contention for Sunderland's game against Crewe tomorrow - but there is no timescale as yet on Alex Pritchard's return. Broadhead made his comeback last weekend at Charlton Athletic from the hamstring injury that had sidelined him since before Christmas, but was then absent for the midweek win against Fleetwood with Alex Neil saying the on-loan Everton striker had felt some stiffness in his hamstring.

But he only narrowly missed out against Fleetwood, and is likely to be in the squad tomorrow when basement side Crewe visit the Stadium of Light. Playmaker Pritchard will again miss out, however, after limping off at Charlton with an ankle injury, although Neil is relieved that the midfielder's problem is not as serious as was first feared.

"He's making good progress, so I don't think it's going to be as bad as we first feared," said Neil of Pritchard. "We probably thought at the time it would be a six-to-eight week injury, but it's certainly not going to be as bad as that so that's a positive.

"I don't really want to put a timescale on it, but it's not in the same ballpark in terms of time that we feared it might be straight after the game at Charlton." And of Broadhead he added: "It was more that Nathan felt some stiffness in his hamstring rather than anything else.

"I was hopeful that he would be fit for the last game, to be honest, so we were disappointed that he didn't make it." Against Fleetwood, Luke O'Nien scored on his comeback following a three-and-a-half month absence following shoulder surgery, and Jermain Defoe was involved after recovering from a minor niggle.

Aiden McGeady remains on the sidelines as he continues to work his way towards fitness following a knee ligament