Steven Fletcher "A Major Doubt" For Reading Match

From local news outlet the Sunderland Echo: Sunderland Wait on Fletcher

STEVEN Fletcher’s fitness will be assessed again today, but Sunderland’s top scorer remains a major doubt to face Reading.

Fletcher missed Saturday’s defeat to Chelsea with the ankle injury he sustained at Norwich City nine days ago and although the Scotland international is making progress, Martin O’Neill is unlikely to risk the striker in tonight’s crunch clash.

The 25-year-old participated in some light training yesterday, away from the rest of the Sunderland squad, and he will do likewise again today.

But O’Neill admits he is not confident about Fletcher’s chances of facing second bottom Reading, with Connor Wickham set to continue at the peak of Sunderland’s attack.

O’Neill told the Echo: “Fletcher’s coming on a bit and he’s less sore than he was. But I wouldn’t be sure about tonight.

“He did a little bit of training yesterday with the physios and there’ll be a little bit again today. Obviously if Fletcher was fit, he’d give us a boost.

“But if it was going to cause irreparable damage, then it’s not something you’d want to do.”

It doesn't sound like he's going to play tonight, does it?