Matija Sarkic suffers injury for Stoke with Potters recalling a goalkeeper
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Matija Sarkic suffers injury for Stoke with Potters recalling a goalkeeper

Wolves goalkeeper Matija Sarkic was forced off with an injury in Stoke City’s game with Sunderland at the weekend.

The 25-year-old was making his seventh appearance for the Potters since joining the club on loan at the end of January.

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Sarkic played the first-half against the Black Cats, before being withdrawn with a suspected quad injury, according to the Stoke Sentinel.

Stoke are now assessing the damage.

It is expected manager Alex Neil will provide an update on the player’s condition before Stoke’s game with Blackburn Rovers on Friday night.

But perhaps ominously, Stoke have actually taken the decision to recall one of their goalkeepers who has been out on loan.

Cameroonian youngster Blondy Nna Noukeu has been brought back from his spell at Southend.

Jack Bonham replaced Sarkic on Saturday, so it could be that he fills in and Noukeu takes Bonham’s place on the bench.

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It would be a huge blow for Sarkic if his injury turns out to be serious.

Last season, his loan spell with Birmingham City was cut short due to a shoulder injury.

In 2022/23, he was the number two for Wolves but made just a few cup appearances as he played second fiddle to Jose Sa.

He was loaned out to Stoke in the hope of getting regular minutes.

Fingers crossed for Matija Sarkic – another injury would be a blow for him and Wolves

Hopefully there isn’t anything in Stoke recalling a goalkeeper following the injury to Sarkic.

He was hugely unfortunate to suffer the injury he did for Birmingham. Things were going really well for him there, and then he had to spend months on the sidelines.

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The lack of a full season probably didn’t give him the best preparation coming into this season.

Hopefully, a positive prognosis comes back over his latest setback. He had made a decent start for the Potters.