According to journalist Phil Smith, Sunderland could be without Nathan Broadhead for Saturday’s game against Portsmouth.
The Lowdown: Loan move
The 23-year-old joined the Black Cats on loan after making two appearances for Everton, coming on in the final two minutes in last December’s 0-0 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
Broadhead spent the 2019/20 campaign at Burton Albion, where he scored three times and grabbed three assists, and he joined Sunderland in August, making four League One appearances so far on Wearside.
However, after playing 90 minutes in the 5-0 home win over Cheltenham on Tuesday night, unfortunate news has emerged about the youngster.
The Latest: Very unlikely
In a Q&A for the Sunderland Echo, Sunderland correspondent Smith has discussed the possibility of the 23-year-old featuring in Saturday’s game at Portsmouth following an injury concern from the midweek romp.
He said: “Though Sunderland retain some hope that the scan will come back clear, it seems unlikely that Nathan Broadhead will be available from the start given the hamstring injury picked up on Tuesday night.
“Lee Johnson thinks he could be sidelined for a couple of weeks, depending on what the scan shows.”
Smith added: “That’s the one change he’ll have to make, and to be honest I think he may well have looked to bring one of his playmakers (Elliot Embleton or Alex Pritchard) back into the fold anyway.”
Will Sunderland beat Portsmouth?
Yes
No
The Verdict: He’ll be missed
Broadhead has only scored against Wigan Athletic in the Carabao Cup, drawing blanks in the league games against Burton Albion, AFC Wimbledon, Fleetwood and Cheltenham (Transfermarkt), so he has not been hugely prolific so far for Sunderland. However, his versatility as a winger or a striker could be a big miss for their trip to Fratton Park.
The league leaders, who are 10 points ahead of Pompey going into the weekend’s clash, may need to call upon Elliot Embleton or Leon Dajaku, the latter of whom scored in Tuesday’s win, to replace Broadhead on the right wing.
As Smith stated, they remain optimistic that the 23-year-old’s scan will come back clear, so he could be available for forthcoming matches against Oxford United or Gillingham.
In other news, many Sunderland fans have hailed one man’s midweek performance. Find out more here.
About the Author
