NewsWipe: Catts Blow; Derby After Youngster; Striker Link Rubbish & Rodwell's International Infamy

Cattermole Out for Four Months - Who to Pick?

Sunderland talisman, Lee Cattermole, will be sidelined for four months.

That's the bleak headline from David Moyes' press conference this afternoon. The 28-year-old has undergone hip surgery in the US and will be absent from first team action until the spring.

Moyes must now look to scrap any plans to build a survival bid around Sunderland's traditional relegation campaign leader. Cattermole is a veteran of seven seasons at the Stadium of Light and has been a catalyst in previous scraps to beat the drop.

With Steven Pienaar suspended for tomorrow's visit from Hull City and Jack Rodwell and Jan Kirchhoff still injured, Moyes will likely have some critical decisions to make about his starting eleven.

That choice is stark - two players to fill two berths from Anichebe, or McNair; or is Sebastian Larsson ready? How about Jason Denayer in midfield, and what about John O'Shea? Who would you pick, and in what formation?

Derby Want Sunderland Youngster

Derby County are hoping to attract Sunderland midfielder, George Honeyman, to Pride Park in January.

Sources say Steve McClaren has identified the 22-year-old as a target to bolster his midfield options as he seeks to push Derby from Championship also-rans into Play-off contenders.

Honeyman has been with Sunderland's academy since the age of 10. He made his professional debut in 2015 under Gus Poyet in a fifth-round FA Cup tie against Bradford.

Photo by Victor Fraile/Getty Images

The player who can operate as an attacking midfielder, or as an inside forward, has been in good form for Sunderland's Under-23 squad, scoring four goals this season.

He put in a fine appearance in last week's CheckaTrade Trophy victory against Notts County. Honeyman was lively throughout and created himself several good chances to score.

With opportunities for players graduating from the under-23 set-up limited, in part due to new loan rules in England, a move to a Championship club represents a huge opportunity for Honeyman.

Striker Links Are Made Up?

Outlets across Europe have claimed Sunderland will move for Swedish striker, John Guidetti, in January.

Photo by Richard Sellers/Getty Images

What all of them have in common, is that they are all based on this article in the Sunderland Echo which, erm, names a few players David Moyes might like to think about signing on loan in the upcoming transfer window.

In fact, the Echo have been plugging this one for three long years. They first claimed Sunderland would sign Guidetti when Roberto de Fanti was Director of Football and the player was a hot young prospect at Manchester City.

Brilliant.

Rodwell's International Notoriety

Jack Rodwell's bleak record of 35 games without a Premier League win has attracted much ridicule, derision and discussion on Wearside.

Pound-for-pound the worst signing in Sunderland's history? Does his presence on the pitch drag the rest of the team down with him, or is it like playing with ten men? All perfectly plausible theories.

But, Jack's misery has not only been noted in Sunderland, nor indeed even merely in England. The Rodwell-calamity has spread across the entire known-world. Look at these headlines.....

France: 'the 'Grand Loser' - Le plus grand loser de l’histoire de la Premier League, c’est lui !

Italy: 'With him on the field - you never win' - Sunderland, Rodwell "gatto nero": con lui in campo non si vince mai

Spain: 'The Fear of Winning' - El miedo a ganar: el extraño caso de Jack Rodwell

Turkey: 'History of the Hapless' - Tarihin en bahtsız oyuncusu: Rodwell

Portugal: 'The Strange Curse of the Premier League Footballer' - La extraña maldición de un futbolista de la Premier

Germany: 'Bewitched - the Crazy Series of the Sunderland Player' - Wie verhext: Die irre Negativserie eines Sunderland-Profis

Great news that he won't be anywhere near the starting eleven tomorrow.