POTTERS FEEL POWELL PAIN
Playmaker facing up to two months on the sidelines after suffering broken leg in midweek defeat
STOKE City have been dealt a major blow with news that Nick Powell will be out until nearly Christmas.
The influential playmaker, aged 27, suffered a small crack in his lower leg when he was caught by Jefferson Lerma after stealing the ball away in the first half of Tuesday night’s 1-0 Championship defeat to Bournemouth.
He has been ruled out for six to eight weeks, which will mean he is likely to miss about 10 games.
Powell has emerged as a key player under Michael O’neill – finding the best form and shape of his career, scoring six goals in 10 appearances this season.
O’neill said: “His availability and the number of minutes he’s played has been fantastic given that he’s had injuries to overcome in the early part of his career.
“His productivity has been excellent as well. It is a blow.
“The nature of the injury, as well, he comes on the blind side of Lerma and steals the ball.
“Lerma’s unaware of where he is, tries to play a pass and just kicks him and that’s what’s done the damage.
“I wouldn’t say the injury is worse than we initially feared, but it’s significant enough that we’re going to be without him for a period of time.”
The manager, pictured, added: “It’s a bit of a freak injury to be honest. It wasn’t even a tackle.
“When you’re kicked on the outside, on that position on that bone, there’s always probably a little bit of a risk. “There’s a small crack there, but the bone is not displaced in any way, which is a positive, but it’s reacted to be quite swollen and it’s difficult for him to put any weight on it at all and I think that was quite evident when he tried to go back on the pitch that it was going to be a struggle for him.”
Sam Clucas (quad) is also out for up to a fortnight, but Alfie Doughty, Demeaco Duhaney and Leo Ostigard are back available for tomorrow’s trip to Millwall after illness.
Abdallah Sima has also returned to training and could be available for the midweek Carabao Cup game against Premier League Brentford.
Powell’s absence will lead O’neill to shuffle his team – and, with Tyrese Campbell also back fit, he has plenty of options up front as he takes his team to London.
Steven Fletcher and Sam Surridge are on standby for a call-up for a front two.
O’neill said: “Steven had an injury and has only been available since the international break.
“His ankle injury kept him out for a few games.
“But he’s still a player that has a lot to offer. He’s a quality player. He’s obviously in the latter stages of his career and we have to manage him and there are certain games he’s more suited to than others.
“He can still give us a huge amount.
“I just think he needs that goal to get him going this season. He got nine last season when his season was injury disrupted.
“We hope that Sima will give us something when he’s back and Tyrese Campbell is a big plus to have back on the pitch (against Bournemouth).
“I think we’re covered in that area. We just maybe have to have a slightly different approach to games.
“We’ve played with one striker and two 10s in matches this season and now we might have to play with two out-and-out strikers and possibly a different shape in midfield behind that with Nick being out.”