Jack Clarke has shown he can fill the gap caused by Sunderland's striker crisis, according to Tony Mowbray. With the Black Cats trailing 2-0, wideman Clarke was shifted to a central role for the second half of last weekend's game at Swansea City and he made a near-instant impact as he scored the goal which gave his side a glimmer of hope.
And while Sunderland were ultimately unable to find an equaliser, they offered more threat with Clarke playing through the middle than they had in the first half when Alex Pritchard and Amad Diallo were paired together up front. Mowbray is still looking for a solution in the final third, as the Wearsiders must continue to cope without injured frontmen Ross Stewart and Ellis Simms.
And Clarke's display at Swansea, in which he scored his fourth goal of the campaign, suggests he could be used in that central role more often. "Jack is a strong boy, stronger than he looks, I would suggest," said Mowbray, who is preparing his side for tomorrow's home game against Wigan Athletic.
