Hull City boss reveals three injury problems ahead of Sunderland clash

The game has been hastily re-arranged after initially being postponed on Boxing Day, with COVID-19 outbreaks across the division giving both teams an unexpected break in their schedule.

McCann will be without centre-back Jordy de Wijs and winger Martin Samuelsen for the game, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.

The Hull boss could also be without Keane Lewis-Potter, the prodigious forward who has made a major impression so far this season.

The 19-year-old has been limited to a place on the bench of late nevertheless, due to an ongoing dispute over a potential new contract.

“On the injury front, we’ll be without Jordy de Wijs and Martin Samuelsen, they’ve both got calf strains,” McCann said.

"Keane Lewis-Potter has picked up a little problem with a tendon in his hamstring and hasn’t trained this week so he’s touch-and-go, but we’ll give him every opportunity to be available for the weekend.”

McCann does expect to be able to name a considerably stronger squad than he was able to last weekend, when five players missed the impressive 2-0 win over Charlton Athletic due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the club.

First-choice goalkeeper Matt Ingram was one of those to be sidelined, and though it is not yet clear whether all five will be in contention to start, the squad will therefore have a more familiar look at the Stadium of Light.

“The lads who contracted the virus - we had five in total - are all getting better,” said McCann.

“They’re all improving daily, some maybe more than others as you can expect in terms of having symptoms. They’ve all trained this week and we’re hoping to have the majority of them available for selection on Saturday - how long they’ll be able to play, I don’t know, but they’ll all be available."

Sunderland have been monitoring Callum McFadzean this week amid concerns over his recovery from the virus, and are hopeful that he could return to offer Lee Johnson a natural option on the left of defence.