McNair believes injured team-mate can aid return to Sunderland action

Sunderland defender Paddy McNair admitted that having team-mate Duncan Watmore sidelined with the same injury has helped them both in recovery.

McNair picked up a cruciate knee ligament injury in November’s 3-0 victory over Hull and has not featured for the Black Cats since.

Watmore suffered the same fate just a month later, and McNair believes that spending the recovery period together has certainly aided the process so far.

Sunderland are rooted to the bottom of the Premier League and are seven points from safety as they prepare for their trip to Watford on Saturday.

And McNair believes he and Watmore can speed up their recovery as Sunderland look to make another great escape, after being on the cusp of relegation for the past five seasons, in their final ten league fixtures.

(Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images)

“I couldn’t really imagine doing it on my own, it sounds bad, but I think Duncan’s happy I’m doing it with him and I’m definitely happy to have him,” said McNair.

“I got my operation a week ahead of Duncan, so I was winding him up, telling him I was a week ahead, you know.

“There’s a good bit of craic, some days you know I came in and it’s like, you’re devastated, you know. Some days he’s like that too so we can push each other along.”