McCartney out after surgery

Sunderland defender George McCartney will be out of action until well into the new year after undergoing surgery on both feet.

The 27-year-old Northern Ireland international had the operation on Wedednesday morning and will be sidelined for between six and eight weeks.

McCartney, a £4.5million summer signing from West Ham, has not played since the 5-0 defeat at Chelsea on November 1, a run of seven games.

The Belfast-born player, who made 157 appearances for the Wearsiders during his first spell with the club, returned as first-choice left-back.

Danny Collins, a centre-half by trade, had previously made the position his own, while right-back Phil Bardsley has also been asked to swap wings in the recent past.

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