Jordan Willis is unlikely to feature when Sunderland face Ipswich in Sky Bet League One.

The defender is nursing a knee problem and Black Cats manager Phil Parkinson is keen to have Willis available to face MK Dons on November 14 when he will be without Tom Flanagan and Conor McLaughlin as they will be on international duty with Northern Ireland.

Willis can play through the pain with the aid of an injection but Parkinson wants to hold off on the procedure until after the Dons fixture.

Sunderland are already light in defence, with summer signings Arbenit Xhemajli and Morgan Feeney long-term absentees.

Ipswich have no new injury concerns for the fixture.

Paul Lambert’s squad was recently bolstered by the return of striker Kayden Jackson, who featured from the bench during the 1-0 win against Crewe at the weekend after a Covid-19 and injury-enforced absence.

Fellow forward James Norwood remains unavailable with a hamstring issue that will sideline him for several weeks yet.

Aaron Drinan is also out due to a groin injury.