Ciaran Clark has shown his experience and his qualities in United’s back three this season. But the man on loan from Newcastle has suffered many injury problems already, just half way into the campaign.
The 33-year-old has played 9 games in the league for United, keeping 2 clean sheets and scoring a goal. Despite showing his tactical and leadership skills on the left of a back three, there is a major concern with Clark.
Before signing for Sheffield United, the Irish defender was known to be injury prone. During his time as a first choice centre-back at Newcastle, Clark had missed a large portion of games due to injuries.
According to Transfermarkt:
18/19 – Clark missed 13 games due to injuries.
19/20 – Clark missed 22 games due to injuries.
20/21 – Clark missed 7 games due to injuries.
This season, Clark has already missed 16 games due to injuries, and he’s likely to miss a few more after Paul Heckingbottom has revealed the severity of Clark’s latest injury.
After addressing that Clark had suffered a hamstring injury in his QPR post-match interview on SUTV, Heckingbottom detailed the extent of the 33-year-old’s injury:
“It isn’t an overly massive one but one we cannot risk. We will have to let him settle down. Like I say, he wasn’t sprinting or anything, he just overstretched. In my mind, I think he will be out for the next couple (of games) but I might be proven wrong.”
The Blades could be without Clark for the home games against Stoke City and Hull City.