Sunderland captain Dean Whitehead has been ruled out for six months with a cruciate knee injury.

"It looks as though Deano will need surgery in a couple of weeks," said the Sunderland manager Roy Keane. "It looks like it's a cruciate so that would rule him out for six or seven months. It's been a bad day. It's a bitter blow for Deano and for us. We are missing his leadership qualities and his presence."