Sam Allardyce is hopeful Fabio Borini will give Sunderland a fitness boost ahead of their Premier League trip to Everton on Sunday.
Borini missed the 3-0 victory over Newcastle United in the Wear-Tyne derby on Sunday – Allardyce's first home game in charge – due to an ankle problem, and has yet to return to training.
Allardyce remains optimistic about the forward's chances of making their trip to Goodison Park, though, providing he reacts well to treatment this week.
Speaking to the club's official website, Allardyce said: "Fabio's had an injection in the ankle to just free the final little bit of tightness he's got in there.
"Hopefully the jab he's had will free him up to start training on Friday back with the lads."
There was also positive news on John O'Shea after he was substituted with a hamstring problem against Newcastle, but Younes Kaboul and Ola Toivonen are both struggling with groin injuries.
He added: "I think John O'Shea's hamstring is settling down and Younes Kaboul felt his groin towards the end of the game so we will wait to see how that is.
"Ola did the same groin he did on international duty which is a bit of a concern.
"It's more of a concern when it's a reoccurring injury – how's it happened, why's it happened and does it lie somewhere else – so the medical staff have to oversee that and get these lads fit as quickly as possible."
