West Bromwich Albion manager Roy Hodgson has ruled captain Chris Brunt out for this weekend's meeting with Sunderland.
The Northern Ireland midfielder sustained a broken ankle on New Year's Day and will not be ready for tomorrow's clash with the Black Cats at The Hawthorns but Hodgson expects him to be available when Chelsea visit on March 3.
"There was never really any chance of Chris Brunt being considered for this game.
"But he's certainly well within his schedule and the prognosis the medical people set, so that is a positive. Yes, he might have a chance for the Chelsea game.
"Once he gets back into training, trains fully for a week and has no reaction to the ankle that was operated on, then there is no reason he shouldn't be considered.""Chris Brunt has only trained twice and has only really trained once with the team, which was today," Hodgson said.
