Barring any postponement to the Arsenal game this weekend, Gus Poyet will have Wes Brown available again for Wembley - almost four weeks after he was supposed to be back.
The centre back was originally set to serve his two-game suspension in a matter of days, but the weather has seen to that. Now it means that there is a risk of Brown needing to shake off a little rust if he is selected for the League Cup final. Poyet claims that isn't something that worries him, though. He told the Sunderland Echo:
We thought he would be clear from suspension in five days. Now it's going to be four weeks.
But you can't plan things like that, they just happen.
I'm not worried about it. It's just up to the others to show they are ready to play.
If it was any other player, I'd probably be a little worried about him. For Brown though coming in and out of the side after a lay-off is almost just part of his routine.
He was brilliant in pre-season against Spurs out in Hong Kong when he hadn't played for ages. Then he was brilliant against Manchester City in the league when he hadn't started a competitive game for two years. His last return from suspension heralded the start of three straight wins.
He is that experienced I am sure he'll just slot straight back in and actually look better for the break. He seems to be that type.
I hope he plays at Wembley too. For all I thought Santiago Vergini was very impressive against Southampton, for me it is still a case of Brown plus another.