Niall Huggins: Sunderland defender to miss rest of season with knee injury

Image source, Rex Features

Image caption, Sunderland defender Niall Huggins (left) was injured late on in the 3-0 home defeat to Coventry City on 23 December

Sunderland defender Niall Huggins is set to miss the second half of the season as he requires surgery on a "significant" knee injury.

Huggins, 23, picked up the injury in the 3-0 defeat to Coventry City last Saturday when he landed awkwardly.

The full-back has played 20 times this season, scoring once.

He was selected in the Wales squad for the first time in November but was an unused substitute in both Euro 2024 qualifiers against Armenia and Turkey.

Sunderland say for his return, meaning he will miss Wales' Euro 2024 play-off against Finland in March and possibly the European Championships next summer, if they were to qualify.

Sunderland are sixth in the Championship and are away to Rotherham United on Friday night (19:45 GMT).