Sunderland book cup replay after draw with Fulham - but suffer fresh injury setback
Sunderland will host Premier League side Fulham at the Stadium of Light after forcing them to an FA Cup Fourth Round replay.
The Black Cats remain the only North East side still in the competition after holding the London side, who site seventh in the top flight, to a 1-1 draw at Craven Cottage.
The away side struck first with Jack Clarke capitalising on a defensive error to put them ahead with less than ten minutes on the clock.
Sunderland had a flurry of chances, but Fulham responded in the second half with club captain Tom Cairney equalising for the hosts on the hour mark.
As the pressure mounted in the second half, Sunderland's 22-year-old keeper Anthony Patterson put in a fantastic display to keep his side in the game.
However, striker Ross Stewart has been dealt a fresh injury blow just weeks after returning Tony Mowbray's side, having to be stretchered off in the first half.
The Sunderland head coach said: "It looks like an Achilles injury for Ross.
"They are long injuries and it’s devastating for him and for us, but the scan will reveal the full extent and hopefully it isn’t as bad as we think."
Stewart suffered an injury earlier in the season during the warm-up for Sunderland's match against Middlesbrough at the Riverside Stadium in September.
Sunderland have brought in attacking reinforcements during the January transfer window, with striker Joe Gelhardt arriving on loan from Leeds United until the end of the season.