SUNDERLAND will be without Dan Ballard for the Boxing Day game at Blackburn, with the defender facing at least a fortnight on the sidelines after suffering an injury in the weekend win over Norwich.

Ballard hobbled off in the final stages against the Canaries with a muscle problem and is now set to miss at least the next four Championship games.

"He won't be available on Thursday," boss Regis Le Bris confirmed at his press conference on Christmas Eve morning.

"It's difficult to say [how long he'll be out], probably two weeks at least. Maybe a little bit more."

That means Ballard looks set to miss the league games against Blackburn, Stoke City, Sheffield United and Portsmouth and he's unlikely to be rushed back for the FA Cup third round tie against Stoke.

The following game is the Championship trip to Burnley on January 17.

With Ballard out, Luke O'Nien is likely to be moved back across to centre-half at Ewood Park on Boxing Day, with Trai Hume restored to the side. Hume was on the bench against Norwich after suffering from illness last week.