Yorke targeting Everton
Sunderland EchoRoy Keane faces a selection dilemma over Dwight Yorke for Sunderland's game at Everton on Saturday.
The vastly-experienced midfielder is expected to be fully fit by the weekend, and Black Cats boss Keane is contemplating bringing him straight back into the side to add confidence and composure.
The 35-year-old Yorke has missed the last four games after damaging a calf in Sunderland's 3-2 defeat at Arsenal last month.
But the club has erred on the side of caution in his treatment and have been intent on making sure they have not asked too much of him in his rehabilitation.
For that reason, he has not been risked in recent second-string games, even though he could have played at a push. And the result is that he looks on course to be available again for the trip to Everton
Keane told the Echo: "Dwight was touch-and-go for the Falkirk game but he hasn't really joined in training with us yet and his injury has dragging on a bit.
"But the benefit of having no game at the weekend is that he has a bit more time to recover. I think he should be available for the Everton game.
"But whether I play him or not, I don't know because it will have been three or four weeks since his last match and to throw him straight back in against a Premiership team would be difficult.
"I'm not too bothered about him having too many warm-up games because he's a naturally fit lad and the role we ask him to play is a sitting role, which doesn't need him to be bombing around all over the pitch."
Yorke could get a run-out in the friendly organised against Chesterfield Reserves at the Academy of Light this afternoon (1pm). But even if he isn't involved, that doesn't mean he won't come into contention for a game in which Sunderland are likely to need all the experience they can muster.
Carlos Edwards should continue his return to the first-team, having successfully managed 90 minutes against Newcastle United in his comeback game 10 days ago.
But the game is likely to come too soon for two other experienced campaigners – skipper Dean Whitehead and Andy Cole – despite the fact both could be involved in this afternoon's game.
Keane said: "We'll gauge Andy's fitness game by game. With his experience, he won't necessarily need four or five reserve games before he is ready to come back but also it's important that he won't don't bring him back too soon after he's had such a long spell out.
"Dean had done everything apart from play up until the other week – he had been joining in with us in training and champing at the bit. Now he's got the Falkirk game under his belt and it will be great to have him back because we have missed him.
"But again we will take things one step at a time and make sure we don't ask too much of him too soon."
