Lee Johnson provides update on Alex Pritchard’s situation at Sunderland | OneFootball

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Football League World

·20 October 2021

Lee Johnson provides update on Alex Pritchard’s situation at Sunderland

Article image:Lee Johnson provides update on Alex Pritchard’s situation at Sunderland

Lee Johnson has addressed the injury that forced him to substitute Alex Pritchard in the 57th minute in Sunderland’s 4-0 victory at Crewe Alexandra on Tuesday evening.

The Black Cats made light work of relegation threatened Crewe winning both halves 2-0 at Gresty Road.


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After a difficult couple of seasons at Huddersfield Town, Pritchard has been a regular contributor in Sunderland’s automatic promotion push, the 28-year-old will be hoping the injury does not turn out to be too serious.

Lee Johnson gave his insight on the knock Pritchard picked up when he spoke to ChronicleLive.

He said: “As he (Alex Pritchard) went to break, one of their lads just sort of yanked him on the top of the head and it was a bit of a whiplash-type of injury.

“He was really, really, stiff at half-time and we tried to get some work into him but he only lasted 15 minutes or so in the second half. I don’t think it’ll be too bad, it’ll just be a case of a muscle relaxant and trying to get the physio to get his fingers into it.”

Sunderland welcome struggling Charlton Athletic to the Stadium of Light on Saturday looking to inflict some revenge having not beaten the Addicks in their last three including the 2018/19 play-off final.

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Johnson’s comments are reassuring, though Pritchard has only made three league starts he has been a great option of the bench and with midweek fixtures arriving regularly in the coming months he is an important squad player.

The resounding win will have restored a lot of belief in the side who had to grind their way to a 2-1 victory over Gillingham at the weekend.

They will be overwhelming favourites for the visit of their perennial bogey team in Charlton on Saturday but will be very confident of taking all three points.

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