The three major dilemmas Tony Mowbray will be weighing up ahead of Sunderland's Championship return

There are still expected to be significant absentees, with Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin, Alex Pritchard and Niall Huggins all at this stage unlikely to be involved.However, Mowbray is hoping for a couple of key boosts that will add to his squad and leave him with some key dilemmas in terms of his starting XI to face Swansea City...

DOES TRAI HUME RETAIN HIS PLACE?

Lynden Gooch has been a regular in the side when fit under both head coaches this season, rarely letting the side down defensively and adding that little bit extra in the final third. If Sunderland do play with a back three, there's every chance the experienced and hugely dependable stalwart will get the nod.

It will be a difficult decision, though. Hume has been exemplary since Gooch suffered his hamstring problem and doesn't deserve to drop out. He's defensively sound and is genuinely excellent in the air, something which has had a big impact over the festive period.

Of all the calls Mowbray has to make this week this is arguably the toughest - but both will have a key role to play in the weeks and months ahead.

DOES DANNY BATTH COME STRAIGHT BACK IN?

Sunderland confirmed that Danny Batth has come back into full training this week, meaning he is likely to return to the matchday squad at the very least.

Batth has been one of Sunderland's most dependable performers this season and if Mowbray does continue with a back three this week - or even if Luke O'Nien moves across to left back - then Batth is a strong contender to play.

Sunderland's defensive record over the festive period has largely been pretty strong, and so Mowbray may also feel that he can trust Bailey Wright to continue while

Batth gets fully up to speed. The major positive for the head coach either way is that he will be able to name a dependable centre half on his bench, something that hasn't always been the case of the last couple of weeks.

WHO GETS THE NOD IN MIDFIELD?

Sunderland are hopeful that Corry Evans will return to the squad this weekend having been rested over the last couple of weeks. Evans had posted some of his best ever running numbers in a game over Christmas and given his significant workload over the first half of the season there was fear of a fatigue-induced injury.

In that time Dan Neil has been superb at the base of midfield, allowing Edouard Michut and Abdoullah Ba opportunities in front of him. Ba in particular has excelled and looks to have taken a significant step forward.

The question is whether given Swansea's ability to retain possession, and the way they controlled the midfield through the first half of the return fixture, Mowbray feels he needs the discipline and experience of Evans. Ba could operate further forward alongside Amad as he did against Wigan Athletic - but on current form it would be a bold call not to pick Patrick Roberts on home turf. Welcome dilemmas for the Sunderland boss.