Defoe: I hope it's not ligaments

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe is keeping his fingers crossed that the ankle injury he suffered against Crystal Palace is not too serious.

The former England international scored an 80th-minute winner at Selhurst Park on Monday night, which gave the Black Cats only their second victory in the Premier League this season.

However, Defoe was forced off six minutes later after hurting his ankle, and will undergo scans some time this week to determine the extent of the damage.

The 33-year-old, who has scored seven goals in all competitions for the Wearsiders this term, is hoping for good news from the club's medical staff.

"The only positive is that I can put weight on it. I just hope it's not ligaments," Defoe told Sky Sports.

"I've worked hard, kept making runs in behind, and I felt sharp throughout the game. People always say that when you work hard you get rewarded, and I think that happened - that little bit of luck that you need. I was just delighted when I went through and put it away."

Commenting on the 1-0 triumph, he added: "It is massive win for us and so important that we keep getting points. It was never going to be easy, the lads worked so hard though during the game.

"All our work in the international break has paid off. Our fitness and energy levels were good towards the end of the game and we looked a lot fitter, that is something the manager has mentioned."