Sunderland captain Lee Cattermole is expected to be sidelined for another month with an unrelenting back problem.
The 22-year old midfielder has been out of action since December 28 and now Black Cats boss Steve Bruce may have to go without his best leader for at least three weeks, maybe more.
Cattermole's back problem also affects his hamstring's and hips and apparently rest is the only cure. He has been ordered to continue sitting out as Bruce tries to manage a growing injury list.
"In the changing room after the game, we had Welbeck, Campbell, Turner, Cattermole, Muntari, Meyler - the list goes on," he said after the 4-2 loss to Chelsea on Tuesday.
"We have got seven [missing], so all credit to the players who performed again on Tuesday night.
"We have been like that now for the best part of six or eight weeks, so all credit to them with still six or seven big players missing, we have still been able to produce some sort of performance, and they can take a big amount of credit for that.
"They gave as good as they got."
