It was initialy feared that the key midfielder’s season could have been ended by the medial ligament damage he suffered during the 1-0 win over Liverpool.
Bruce told the Sunderland Echo: “We think it will be at least 12 weeks for Catts. He’s done his medial ligament. It’s not good news, but it’s the best we could have hoped.”
He added: “We were all praying he had not done his cruciate and damaged cartilage, which thankfully he hasn’t – but he’s still out for the best part of three months.”
