A DISMAL AFTERNOON for Stoke City was compounded by an injury to their promising Irish defender Nathan Collins.
The 19-year-old was stretchered off in the closing stages of his side’s 4-1 defeat to Norwich City in the Championship.
Collins was hurt by an awkward landing, with the Stoke Sentinel reporting that he looked “in real pain” as he received treatment.
In his post-match press conference, Stoke manager Michael O’Neill said that the Republic of Ireland U21 international appeared to damage a metatarsal bone in his foot, but he added that it’s “too early” to get a clear picture on the injury.
Collins has been a regular fixture in the Stoke team this season, making 27 appearances and not missing a minute of action in the Championship since November.
However, he now looks set to face a spell on the sidelines as a result of the incident in a game that dented the promotion hopes of the 10th-placed Potters.
Collins has attracted Premier League interest recently, with Stoke reportedly rejecting a bid from Burnley during the January transfer window.
The form of the Kildare native is also sure to have put him in Stephen Kenny’s thoughts ahead of the start of Ireland’s World Cup qualification campaign against Serbia on 24 March.
