Carlos Edwards hopes to be fit for Sunderland's home test with Blackburn next week.
The influential winger has played only once this season but was healthy enough to take part with the rest of the squad in their midweek activity day.
Today's Tees-Wear derby was just too soon for the Trinidad & Tobago star – a major force during last season's rise to the Championship title – and he's busting to take out his frustration on Rovers next Saturday.
Edwards said: "At this stage, I would like to think I might be ready for the Blackburn Rovers game. Hopefully I will, but we just have to wait and see – and be careful.
"I won't force myself to be fit when I'm not 100 per cent fit. I don't think that is going to do anyone any good.
"I want to make sure that when I do come back I come back well."
Edwards was hindered by hamstring trouble in pre-season and it returned as he featured in the Black Cats' 2-2 draw at Birmingham in the opening week of the campaign.
Though Roy Keane's side has looked solid and competitive in the last couple games, there is no doubt that the former Luton winger's creativity, energy and eye for a goal has been missed.
He added: "It is good to see the players performing the way they are without me. It shows that they can fill the gaps which can arise when players like me and Dean (Whitehead) are out of it.
"I was really looking forward to getting involved in the Premiership and felt I made a decent start in the first couple of games, but these things happen.
"It is frustrating, but it's just part of the game and though it is hard to do, you have to get the right balance between coming back safely as well as coming back quickly."
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