Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead faces a long lay-off with the hamstring injury he suffered in the EFL Cup defeat at Arsenal and could even miss the rest of this season.
"I would say it will be a minimum of three months, but it could be the season."
Broadhead suffered the injury at the end of the first half at the Emirates, just 15 minutes after the in-form marksman had brilliantly chipped home his fifth goal in four games - taking his overall tally this season to eight.
His run of scoring has helped lift Sunderland to third in League One ahead of Tuesday's lunchtime trip to Doncaster, when they could go second if they win.