Sunderland recall Wickham from Leeds loan
Sunderland will hope Connor Wickham can provide an attacking spark after recalling the striker from his loan spell at Leeds United.
With concerns over the fitness of Steven Fletcher, and Fabio Borini ineligible to face parent club Liverpool this week, Poyet has felt the need to recall the 20-year-old after only one month at Elland Road.
Fletcher injured his ankle during a goalless draw with Crystal Palace earlier this month and did not feature in the defeat to Norwich City on Saturday.
Wickham, who has also had a spell on loan at Sheffield Wednesday this season, made five appearances for Leeds but could now be involved at Anfield on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, Sunderland midfielder Sebastain Larsson has revealed there was a dressing room inquest following Saturday's loss to Norwich, which kept the club three points from safety in the Premier League.
"We had a very good honest chat afterwards and I think the bottom line was that we didn't show we wanted it enough," Larsson admitted to the Shields Gazzette.
"At this stage of the season, if you don't have desire to do what is needed to pick up points, you're going to struggle.
"Let's find that desire very, very quickly. I think it's more realising that that's the case and making sure that it never happens again because it can't."
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
‘Milan didn’t collapse against Liverpool in Istanbul. We lost focus for six minutes – for the other 114, we played an extraordinary, beautiful game’: AC legend claims they were 'extraordinary' against Reds in 2005 Champions League final
‘Charlton could have qualified for Europe, but selling Scott Parker to Chelsea made the difference. The manager didn’t want him to go and there was a disagreement’: Former Addicks star highlights key reason why they failed to maintain 2003/04 form