Soccer:Sunderland midfielder David Meyler is facing weeks rather than months on the sidelines after scans revealed he did not rupture his cruciate knee ligament for a second time on Wednesday night.

Manager Steve Bruce had expected to be without the young Irish player for the rest of the season after he was carried from the field at Villa Park in agony. It had been feared he suffered a recurrence of the injury which sidelined him for seven months last year.

However, subsequent tests have revealed the ligament is intact and he was consulting his specialist today over the treatment he needs.

“The great news we got late last night is that Meyler has not ruptured the cruciate ligament,” a relieved Bruce said this morning. “It’s still intact — that’s what the scans have told us, which is great news for us. He has still wrenched his knee horribly. We will know more in the next few hours in terms of time schedules, but he will be out for weeks.”