As the injury table starts to overflow at Clayton Wood, it’s becoming increasingly difficult to keep track of who is available and who is not.
Injuries have/are plaguing Michael O’Neill’s squad as they did in the previous season. With that said, here is the list of injury doubts as of the 9th December 2021.
Josef Bursik:
Bursik has been O’Neill’s number one for most of the season, starting the opening game of the season in a 3-2 win over Reading before briefly losing his place to Adam Davies and quickly regaining it.
The England U-21s international has been ruled out until New Year with a torn quad muscle, he picked the injury up while on international duty in training.
Harry Souttar:
Arguably Stoke’s most important player this season, Souttar has been ruled out until the end of the season, possibly longer with a ruptured ACL.
It’s a real shame for the Australian international, he was having a phenomenal season, the kind of season that gets you into the Premier League, with or without your current club.
Romaine Sawyers:
Sawyers has been a divisive player among Stoke fans, with some believing his quality on the ball makes up for his weaknesses off it, meanwhile others think he doesn’t add enough to warrant his ability off the ball.
Whatever fans opinions of him are, Sawyers was having one of his better games against QPR before being forced off with a thigh problem. The West Brom loanee has undergone a scan to find out the extent of the injury.
Nick Powell:
Powell has been out of action with a crack fibula since October following a late challenge from Bournemouth’s Jefferson Lerma.
The playmaker is set to return later this month or at the very latest early January, he will add to a depleted midfield at Stoke.
Jordan Thompson:
Another Potter who picked up his injury whilst on international duty, Jordan Thompson is set to be out until February at the earliest as he picked up a knee injury.
Thompson will require surgery before he is allowed to begin recovery.
Tashan Oakley-Boothe:
Likely to return in a more permanent fashion to the first team squad soon, Oakley-Boothe has struggled for fitness following a fractured back in the spring.
His fitness is starting to pick up now, as he returned to the first team squad against Blackburn.
Leo Ostigard:
Although not made clear, Ostigard’s appearance for the U-23s a few days ago made it clear that he was amongst the injury pack who are now building up fitness, along with Abdallah Sima, Alfie Doughty, Oakley-Boothe and Sam Surridge.
Ostigard likely only has a knock and will probably be available for the Middlesbrough game.
Abdallah Sima
In contrast to the other injury news, Sima is set to return to the squad and could start if Tyrese Campbell does not recover from fatigue following the 2-0 win over QPR.
Sima hasn’t featured since September as he has been nursing an awkward injury above his ankle.
In other availability news, Sam Surridge is back from suspension.
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