Sunderland have been handed yet another injury blow, but Mike Dodds has revealed positive news on Dan Ballard.
Sunderland are once again dealing with a lengthy injury list.
Like last season, the Black Cats are thwart with sidelined players. But unlike last season, they’re not performing as well.
Dodds finds his side in 12th place of the Championship table and Sky Sports pundit David Prutton has predicted a 2-1 QPR win vs Sunderland this weekend.
It could mean a seventh-straight defeat for the Black Cats who sit just nine points above the drop zone, and now have another injured player to cope without.
Mike Dodds says Nazariy Rusyn now injured for Sunderland
Speaking to the media ahead of the clash vs QPR at the Stadium of Light on Saturday, Dodds has revealed that striker Nazariy Rusyn is now injured and won’t feature this weekend.
Dodds also says that he’s not sure when the Ukrainian will be fit to return to action, saying:
“Naz has picked up a knock during the game so he hasn’t trained this week. He won’t be available for tomorrow. We’re waiting on timeframe.”
Sunderland handed Dan Ballard boost
But on a positive note, Dodds has revealed that Ballard’s injury is not as bas as first feared.
The centre-back was forced off in the game vs Southampton with a hamstring injury but was recently named in the Northern Ireland squad for the upcoming international break, suggesting that his injury isn’t so pressing.
And Dodds told the media on Friday:
“Dan, it’s not as bad as first feared. It’s a real difficult one. I think what we are going to do with Dan is leave it until the very last minute [to see if he can play v QPR].”
Sunderland injuries
Right now, Sunderland have a number of first-team players on the sidelines.
As things stand, Bradley Dack, Corry Evans, Aji Alese, Dennis Cirkin, Jack Clarke, Elliot Embleton, Niall Huggins, Patrick Roberts, and now Rusyn are all sidelined.
Luke O’Nien will serve the second of a two-game ban vs QPR.
Luis Hemir set for extended run in the XI
Summer signing Luis Hemir has been a talking point throughout the season.
His raw ability and talent is there for all to see, but that arguably remains the problem; he’s still very raw as a player.
There’s a lot of room for improvement for the striker and that can arguably only come with exposure, which he’s been getting in recent weeks.
He started games against Norwich City and Leicester City but was dropped vs Southampton; it was suggested that the Sunderland players don’t yet trust Hemir with the ball after the game vs Leicester.
But with Rusyn injured and Mason Burstow offering no more than Hemir, expect Hemir to run into some more game time over the coming weeks.
It’s not ideal for Sunderland who are already without their main source of goals in Clarke, but it’s simply a situation that Dodds and co have to deal with and have to find a way of managing.
There’s a sense that if Hemir can get his first goal, he’ll soon burst into life.
Sunderland vs QPR kicks off at 3pm on Saturday.