One of the biggest things many Sunderland fans were looking forward too in the next couple of friendly games with Derby County and Leicester City - aside from a general all around improvement and a couple of goals - was where Stephane Sessegnon would fit into the new 4-5-1/4-3-3 formation. It looks like we're going to have to wait a little longer.

Speaking ahead of tomorrow night's game, Martin O'Neill all but officially ruled the diminutive forward out of match at Pride Park through injury;

Sessegnon hurt his ankle in training yesterday and I don't know whether he will make Wednesday's night's game. Hopefully he will be okay for Saturday's match. He's actually going for a scan this afternoon.

We all know the importance of Sessegnon to the team, and hopefully he will somehow hit the ground running against Leicester (subject to his involvement) and continue that through to the start of the season after missing every preseason game so far following an extended break, and enforced technicalities meaning he missed the trip to Helsingborgs last weekend.

Time to cross everything in hope he's alright following the results of the scan.