Tony Mowbray could use Jack Clarke in a more central role as he tries to find a Plan B to solve Sunderland's attacking problems in the final two months of the season. With Ross Stewart ruled out for the remainder of the campaign with an Achilles injury, the Black Cats lack an out-and-out striker to give them the option of running in behind opposition defences.
January loan recruit from Leeds United Joe Gelhardt is the only specialist frontman available to Mowbray but he is not the type of striker to run in behind or run the channels in the way that Stewart does to such great effect. Gelhardt has scored once in seven outings so far and is clearly struggling to lead the line alone in Sunderland's current set-up, and that could prompt a rethink with left winger Clarke deployed through the middle - a position he has occupied at various times this season.
Sunderland were hammered 5-1 at home by Stoke City last weekend after which Mowbray admitted he would have played a different way had he had Stewart available. Clarke is no more of a direct replacement for Stewart than Geldhart is, but his pace would bring an extra dimension to the attack if Mowbray opts to change things when Sunderland head to Carrow Road to face play-off contenders Norwich City this weekend.
