Gordon Back For Bolton

Thankfully if Gordon does get injured this season we have a great replacement in Belgian stopper Mignolet.

Gordon will come straight back into the action against Bolton as we face the Trotters live on Sky this Saturday.

Steve Bruce told the Echo: “Craig has recovered from the strain, he`s trained this week and the plan is for him to go straight back into the side.

“I`ve made it clear that he is my number one goalkeeper and when he is fit and in form, he plays.

“Simon knows the situation and he accepts it.

“He`s only a young lad and, when he arrived here in the summer, he couldn`t have expected he would play half as many first-team games this season as he has.

“He`s delighted to have played in as many matches as he has.”

Bruce knows it must be hard for Mignolet who has kept seven clean sheets but with Gordon costing £9m it is certain he will always be number 1 for Bruce.

He said: “Craig is a top goalkeeper and his form in the back third of last season, when he came back from his wrist injury, was outstanding.

“It was possible we could have asked him to play against Fulham at the weekend.

“But we`ve got a lot of games coming up in a short space of time and we simply didn`t want to risk him.

“It would have been irresponsible to have put him in with a strain and risked losing him for weeks.

“As it is, he`s back in full training and the hamstring concern seems to be behind him, which is great news.

“But it`s also good to have a keeper as good as Simon to come in when we need him.

“He`s been great for us all season, a real bonus and he did really well against Fulham in keeping a clean sheet.”