Sunderland, Hull City’s playoff rivals, were shocked to learn that talented winger Jack Clarke would be out for the next six weeks due to injury.
The former Leeds United player is not expected to return to training until the final weeks of the Championship season, so the Black Cats may not have the 23-year-old available until at least mid-April, according to the club. There are expectations in the North East that he may miss as many as eight games during his enforced absence.
Sunderland, who have seen their play-off bid fade in recent weeks, will be severely harmed by Clarke’s absence. Last Saturday, they suffered a 2-1 home loss to struggling Swansea City at the Stadium of Light.
Sunderland’s star man had notched 15 goals and four assists prior to picking up the ankle ligament injury in the 2-1 loss at Birmingham City on February 17, in what proved to be Michael Beale’s final game in charge before he was sacked after just 63 days in charge. Beale has yet to be replaced with caretaker boss Mike Dodds taking charge until the end of a campaign which looks increasingly likely it will end in disappointment for the Wearsiders.
City, who face Preston North End on Saturday in a battle of two play-off hopefuls at Deepdale, occupy the final play-off spot and sit eight points above Sunderland with just 12 games left to go. Sunderland face another of the play-off hopefuls in Norwich City at Carrow Road this Saturday before taking on Leicester City and Southampton in the next week.
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