David Moyes has revealed that Sunderland will have to make do against Watford without key defender Jan Kirchhoff, who has been ruled out with a cartilage tear.
The 26-year-old only returned to action earlier this month after a two-month spell on the sidelines with a separate hamstring injury.
Kirchhoff has settled back into the Black Cats' ranks seamlessly, featuring from the bench in games against Leicester City and Swansea City, before being handed his first start in the narrow 1-0 defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday evening.
Moyes confirmed that the former Bayern Munich man is facing another potential spell on the sidelines, however, after leaving the field injured less than an hour into the game against the Blues.
"Jan Kirchhoff is out," Moyes told reporters. "He has suffered a cartilage tear in Wednesday's match. As yet though there is no timeframe."
Moyes also confirmed that he will make a late decision over the fitness of Victor Anichebe, Steven Pienaar and Javier Manquillo for the visit of Watford on Saturday afternoon.
Daniel Lewis
