Sunderland rocked by news Lee Cattermole will miss the next four months through injury
Inspirational midfielder has had surgery on a hip problem that has kept him out since September
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DAVID MOYES has been rocked by the news Lee Cattermole will be out for four months.
The Sunderland midfielder has been out since September’s home defeat to Crystal Palace with a mystery injury.
But after weeks of head-scratching, Cattermole has now had an operation on his hip and has been left sidelined until March.
Black Cats boss Moyes said: "We're going to be without Lee for four months and it's a big blow.
“He's out there in the States just now and is coming back in the next few days.
"We've had hernias and epidurals and other things done with him.
“But by all accounts they found a tear in the cartilage in his hip and he's had an operation to repair that.”
Sunderland face Hull this weekend in a match that could prove vital to their hopes of being able to claw themselves to safety.
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They won their first match of the season last time out against Bournemouth but still find themselves six points adrift of safety.
Anything less than maximum points against their fellow strugglers will be a massive blow to the club's chances of surviving in the Premier League.