Sunderland manager David Moyes has claimed that Jan Kirchhoff will not be available for selection until after the international break next month.
The midfielder has not featured yet this season after suffering a hamstring injury during a pre-season friendly with Montpellier.
The 25-year-old has been on the training pitch after receiving an injection, but Moyes does not expect the German to be ready for first-team action until at least mid-September.
"Jan Kirchhoff is doing a bit of running," the Sunderland Echo quotes Moyes as saying. "My feeling is he won't be ready at the earliest until after the international break. I don't think he will make tonight or Saturday."
Kirchhoff joined the Black Cats in January from Bayern Munich.
