Carlos Edwards out for a month.
By: Ian Laws (Sunderland Echo).[/size]
Carlos Edwards will miss a month of Sunderland's Premier League campaign, and this month's Carling Cup return to his former side Luton. The winger injured his hamstring in Wednesday's 2-2 draw at Birmingham and scans have confirmed he faces a spell on the sidelines.
It means the Trinidad & Tobago international will miss this weekend's trip to Wigan, glamour games against Liverpool and Manchester United and probably the home game with Reading on September 15.
Keane said: "I should have taken Carlos off on Wednesday, but when you are behind late in the game you want him on the field because you know he can produce something.
"I must admit, I had a feeling he might pick up some kind of injury, and so it's proved. He's out for a month. Three games in a week is demanding for all clubs at the start of the season and we have paid for that with losing Carlos."
There were a few walking wounded after the 2-2 draw at St Andrew's but Keane hopes all will be fit for tomorrow.
Michael Chopra, Dickson Etuhu and debutant Roy O'Donovan all hobbled out of the ground on Wednesday.
Keane said: "That's football. You are going to get kicks and strains. Some of the players walk like that all the time. They're always limping!
"I think everyone will be OK and I left four players out on Wednesday – Anthony Stokes, Dwight Yorke, Kieran Richardson and Daryl Murphy – who are refreshed and available."
Keane quiet on Jones bid.
By: Ian Laws (Sunderland Echo).[/size]
Roy Keane refused to be drawn into speculation of a £5.5million bid for Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones. And he said that, to his knowledge, there had been no offer to Middlesbrough for former Black Cats favourite Julio Arca.
Keane confirmed, yet again, that he is looking to add two more players to his squad – principally a striker and defender.
Asked about today's reports of a move for Jones, the Sunderland boss said: "I don't really want to get into that. I have been saying for a few weeks that we need a couple of players and a striker is one of them.
"Possibly I'd like another defender and of course we have Carlos Edwards injured now. We're hoping to get one or two but I would not like to comment on which players it was."
Jones is a Trinidad & Tobago international who has scored 18 goals in 43 league start for the Saints, who rejected a bid for him from Derby this summer.
The lanky striker had a sensational loan spell at Sheffield Wednesday the season before last, scoring seven goals in as many games before netting three in 13 in another loan with Stoke at the end of the same campaign.
There were reports of a £2m offer for Arca, who has three years left on his deal with Boro. Asked if a bid had been made, Keane said: "Not to my knowledge."
The Black Cats' manager emphasised that, despite his desire to strengthen, Sunderland will not pay over the odds.
"There are a couple of weeks to go before the transfer window closes and clubs will hope to use that time to get as much as they can for their players," he said. "But we won't get drawn into any auctions."
