...SUNDERLAND’S players are praying that Carlos Edwards will make a speedy return to action – to save them from the “graveyard shift”. So says Danny Collins, who revealed that that is the nickname given to the right-wing slot by the Black Cats’ squad. Edwards (left) has played just a handful of games all season after picking up a hamstring injury just two games into the campaign which ruled him out for three months – and then suffering a broken leg just three games into his comeback. With no other specialist right-winger in the squad, boss Roy Keane has tried several players in that position; Dean Whitehead, Michael Chopra, Grant Leadbitter, Roy O’Donovan and Anthony Stokes have all had stints on right flank with varying degrees of success. And Collins admits that they can’t wait for Edwards to return to action. “Carlos has been a massive miss to us this season,” he said. “Unfortunately, he has kept on breaking down and that has been really disappointing both for him and for the team as a whole. “We don’t really have a specialist replacement for him. The gaffer has tried quite a few people in that role – so much so that the lads call it the graveyard shift!” Edwards suffered his broken leg at the start of December but the bone has now healed. He had a short spell back in training but has yet to make his full comeback. The Trinidad & Tobago international is still not 100 per cent convinced that he is over the injury and travelled to London last week to spend a few hours a day in an oxygen tent to aid his recovery. His absence has been a huge blow to Sunderland this season as he played a major part in the club’s Championship-winning season last term, and was expected to be a key player for the Black Cats. Collins added: “Carlos was one of our best players in the second half of last season and everyone was waiting for him to get going in the Premier League, but so far he has only played a handful of games. “Once he is fit again it will give us a big lift because he is such an important player for us down that right side.” | 
