The Sunderland midfielder is suffering from a slight groin strain and the club are monitoring his progress.

Roy Keane told the Gazette: "Carlos is a doubt for the game, I have to say.

"He's got a groin strain which he picked up in training the day before the match at Aston Villa.

"He got through the game okay but it is still there, and we'll just have to see how it comes on in the run up to the game.

"At this stage I would have to say that he's still only 50-50."

Edwards' international team-mate Kenwyne Jones is also being monitored.

Keane revealed: "Kenwyne was hit pretty hard by the virus last Friday and there was no way he could have trained, we had to have the doctor in to have a look at him.

"A few years ago, if you told me that a player could have been out with a virus, I wouldn't have believed you.

"But about four years ago I picked up a virus which knocked me sideways for a couple of weeks.

"Kenwyne seems fine now, I think he trained Tuesday and has been back since then.

"But we are just going to keep an eye on him.

"Hopefully though he should be okay for the weekend."

The manager confirmed that Danny Collins (dead leg) and Nyron Nosworthy (ankle) had both recovered from knocks picked up in the Villa game.

And going into tomorrow's match, the management's only concern was Edwards' availability.