Sunderland manager Steve Bruce fears that Republic of Ireland midfielder David Meyler could be sidelined for up to a year by a knee injury. The 20-year-old will undergo surgery on Friday to repair a torn anterior cruciate ligament and the ligament on the other side of his right knee.
Bruce has revealed Meyler will be out of action “until at least Christmas”, and could be missing for a year.
“It looks like a really serious injury for the kid. He’s in Bradford as we speak and will be operated on Friday. We wish him a speedy recovery. It’s a nasty end to the season.”
Meyler suffered the injury during Sunday’s 1-0 Premier League defeat by Manchester United and was carried from the pitch at the Stadium of Light on a stretcher.
The club confirmed this morning initial scans had revealed ligament damage and that the player would consult a specialist this week.
However, they are wasting little time and this afternoon confirmed a date for surgery has now been set.
Bruce admitted days before the United game Meyler and fellow youngster Jordan Henderson had already saved the club millions in transfer fees after emerging from the ranks to claim regular places in the first team.
The former Cork City player made his senior debut at Blackburn on December 28th and had taken his tally to 12 when disaster struck.
Meyler’s form for Sunderland has caught the attention of Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni, who called him up for an end-of-season training camp later this month.
Instead, he will beginning the long haul back towards fitness knowing he may have to write off the 2010-11 season all together.
Meanwhile, keeper Craig Gordon will also go under the surgeon’s knife this summer, although his need is less pressing.
The 27-year-old Scotland international will have an operation after Sunday’s final Premier League game of the season at Wolves to remove a metal plate which was inserted in his arm after he suffered a fracture in a collision with Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe in November.
He will then spend part of his summer break back on Wearside rehabilitating before the start of the new campaign.
Gordon said: “I will have the operation to get the plate out and then I will be in the hands of the physios here for my rehab, however long that will take.
“Hopefully, I will be fully fit and ready to participate in pre-season training.”