AFC Wimbledon return to league action against Sunderland after Covid-19 outbreak

AFC Wimbledon are still recovering from the aftermath of a Covid-19 outbreak at the club ahead of Saturday’s home clash with Sunderland in Sky Bet League One.

The Dons returned to action on Tuesday with victory over Bristol Rovers in the EFL Trophy in a match where new loan signing Sam Walker made his debut in goal and kept a clean sheet.

He will start between the sticks this weekend but defender Terell Thomas will need to be assessed following a bout of illness.

Luke O’Neill (ankle) and Paul Osew (knock) are closing in on a return, but Ben Heneghan is still a way off after he had to be substituted early into the Boxing Day loss at Oxford.

Sunderland have various fitness concerns ahead of their trip to the capital with Conor McLaughlin the latest to join the treatment table.

The full-back will require an operation on a hernia problem which has troubled him for a number of weeks while forward Danny Graham has a knee injury which boss Lee Johnson admitted “we probably need to look into.”

It adds to the news this week that Denver Hume will be out for the next two months after tearing his hamstring and fellow defender Arbenit Xhemajli is already set to miss the rest of the campaign with a knee issue.

Luke O’Nien (shoulder) is expected to return this month in more positive news and recent recruit Carl Winchester will hope to be involved on Saturday after joining from Forest Green.