Unlikely to finish inside the play-offs and in managerial limbo, the bad news just keeps coming for Sunderland in what is proving to be a miserable second-half to their Championship season. Now, interim boss Mike Dodds must solve a defensive crisis after the latest injury news.
Sunderland injury news
Amid a run of six straight defeats, Sunderland could at least do with some luck on the injury front. But that hasn't been the case, with the Black Cats injury list only adding to the woes of Dodds.
Jack Clarke
Mid April
Patrick Roberts
Late March
Bradley Dack
Late March
Niall Huggins
Out for the season
Dennis Cirkin
Late March
Corry Evans
Late March
Luke O'Nien (suspension)
Cardiff City game
Jenson Seelt
Unknown
With nine absences to contend with, Dodds' biggest concern will be finding defensive cover for both the Queens Park Rangers game and in the coming weeks. The Black Cats boss has got just one centre-back option available for this weekend's clash in the form of Leo Hjelde, and will need to either turn to inexperience or think outside the box.
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It's a problem that Dodds may see a repeat of too, following an injury update. As confirmed by the defender on Instagram, Jenson Seelt is set to be out for a "long period of time" after suffering an injury last time out against Southampton.
With just nine games to go and with Sunderland nine points adrift of the Championship's top six, those at the Stadium of Light seem destined to watch on as their campaign ends with a whimper rather than the playoff push that they were on course for under Mowbray.
Defensive options Dodds could turn to
Matters are made worse when considering that Hjelde mainly operates as a left-back, but may now be forced inside to work alongside another inexperienced face at the heart of Sunderland's defence. Meanwhile, Dodds could also turn to Timothee Pembele for the first time and fellow youngsters Trai Hume and 18-year-old Tom Lavery in what is far from ideal for a side looking to end a woeful run of form.
Without Seelt, in particular, Sunderland could suffer, especially given the praise that former manager Mowbray once had for the defender: “I thought Jenson was good. In our minds, we’ve been wanting to get him on the pitch but it’s difficult [with Ballard and O’Nien’s form].
“Really, he was going to come on and play.. he can play holding midfield and we thought he would come on and roll into midfield like we do with Trai Hume often. Jenson can do that because he’s so talented with the ball at his feet."
With their injury crisis, Sunderland seem unlikely to end their run of form anytime soon, as they wait for a miserable campaign to end and a new manager to arrive on a permanent basis. Come the start of the summer transfer window, the Black Cats will hope to be in a position to kick on and get back on the track that Mowbray initially led them down.