Sunderland boss Lee Johnson has a few battles ahead. 

As if the pressure to secure automatic promotion wasn't enough, the coronavirus-enforced postponements have threatened to back the Black Cats' schedule up, so he'll likely need all the help he can get from his playing squad. 

However, according to the print edition of yesterday's Sunday Mirror (page 72), the Stadium of Light chief could face a problem on that front. 

Indeed, they claim that though Johnson is anxious to keep on-loan defender Dion Sanderson on Wearside, parent club Wolverhampton Wanderers have been disappointed by his lack of action. 

Since moving to Sunderland, the 19-year-old has started just four games though that does include the last three League One fixtures in a row. 

Still, he has only recently become a regular - amassing just 105 minutes of league action before December 15th - and those at Molineux are understood to have a break clause in the agreement. 

GIVEMESPORT's Jonathan Gorrie says... 

While Sunderland are not exactly pulling up trees, they have formed the tightest defensive unit in League One this season, so there has been little need to turn to Sanderson until the fixture pile-up recently. 

Defensively, Johnson does appear to have a fair amount of options in the shape of Jordan Willis, Tom Flanagan, Bailey Wright and Conor McLaughlin, though not a huge amount of cover. 

With Sunderland deploying a three-man rearguard six times this season, only Luke O'Nien looks comfortable slotting in should the absences mount, something more likely this season than in most given the wider context of current events. 

Sanderson's recent run in the side, a three-game stretch in which the Black Cats are unbeaten, should give Wolves hope he can develop there. 

Given the relative paucity of cover in this most congested of campaigns, Sunderland had better hope it has.