Sunderland defender to miss Preston trip as Danny Batth decision made amid transfer talk

Lynden Gooch will miss Sunderland’s trip to Preston North End this weekend – but centre-back Danny Batth will be in the squad despite fresh reports this week linking him QPR, alongside Blackburn Rovers’ long-running interest. Gooch picked up a minor knock after coming on as a sub in the Black Cats’ season-opener against Ipswich Town at the Stadium of Light last weekend, and it meant he missed the midweek Carabao Cup game against Crewe Alexandra.

And boss Tony Mowbray says the injury will rule him out of tomorrow’s visit to Deepdale, although he is expected to be fit for the home game against Rotherham United next weekend. “Lynden won’t make this weekend, but I’m pretty sure there’s every chance he could be involved when we play Rotherham on the Saturday after,” said Mowbray.

Gooch, along with Alex Pritchard and Batth – all of whom are in the final 12 months of their contracts on Wearside – have been linked with moves away from Sunderland during the current transfer window. In the opening game of the season, Mowbray preferred summer signing Jobe Bellingham to Pritchard in the number ten role, although Pritchard did come on as a sub.

And then both Pritchard and Batth started against Crewe as Mowbray made ten changes for the cup game. Both Pritchard and Batth are expected to be on the bench again at Preston, with Mowbray making it clear he sees Dan Ballard and Luke O’Nien as his first-choice centre-back pairing this season.

Mowbray said: “Luke O’Nien has been amazing and I find it difficult to pick a team without him in it at the moment. He brings composure, he brings quality with the ball, he sees the spaces and steps into them.

“He steps past the striker with the ball and picks the pass into midfield, which helps the fluency of our team. With total respect to Danny, that’s not his game.

“Danny’s strengths are dealing with set plays, goal kicks and organising the defence and the midfield in front. At this moment in time, with total honesty to the supporters, I’m picking Ballard and O’Nien with all of the players there because I want them as the central defenders at this moment time.”

And of the transfer talk involving Batth, he added: “[On] Danny, I don’t know what’s been said or written. Danny is a brilliant guy and he’s here, working hard, getting on with it and so he’ll be involved.

“If Kristjaan [Speakman, Sunderland’s sporting director] calls me in one day and says we’ve received a bid and it’s acceptable to everyone, then that’ll happen.

“If not and the window shuts, I know Danny will get on with it and try and get in the team. And then there may well be times where we feel he need him and what he brings, and he’ll be in the team.”