This article is part of Football League World’s ‘Player view’ series, this content strand is where we put ourselves in the shoes of a given player, and offer an opinion-based outlook on the perspective on the situation at hand...

For any footballer, injuries are never going to be something that anyone wants to encounter, and while they are one of the inevitabilities of the game, there are certain players who will at times, feel like the injury they have picked up will have come at the worst possible moment for them.

One player who is likely to be getting that particular feeling right now, is Sunderland's Elliot Embleton.

Having started to enjoy a more regular place in the Black Cats senior side in the early part of this season - making five appearances in the early part of the season - it had seemed as though this would be the campaign when the 20-year-old really staked a claim to become a consistent part of this side going forward.

Now, however, Embleton may be wondering whether that opportunity is going to come anytime soon, after Sunderland manager Jack Ross revealed that the injury that forced the midfielder to be withdrawn at the midway point of the Black Cats' 1-0 win over Sheffield United in the third round of the Carabao Cup last week, is a hamstring problem that could keep him out for between six and eight weeks.

With Embleton out for that amount of time, therefore, you imagine the midfielder will be well aware of the opportunity there is for other players within the Black Cats squad who will be looking to stake a claim for his place in the senior side, potentially pushing him further down the pecking order at the Stadium of Light.

Indeed, with Sunderland expecting to push for promotion from League One this season, if they are to find a winning formula between now and Embleton's return to fitness, Ross may be reluctant to change such an effective side if he doesn't have to.

That, however, is unlikely to be Embleton's only concern here.

With Ross also confirming that the injury is similar to the one that cut short a loan spell with Grimsby Town at the end of last season, that too is likely to be weighing on Embleton's mind.

Having now suffered that same - somewhat long-term - injury twice in the space of a couple of months, Embleton must surely be wondering whether this is something that could dog him for the rest of his career.

That will surely be a worrying prospect for the midfielder, not only due to the way it may restrict his game time, but also due to the way it may restrict his chances to climb up the divisions, with the bigger clubs perhaps more reluctant to take a punt on a player who could be spending a significant amount of time on the sidelines.

Even so, there will be some consolation for Embleton here, in the shape of Ross' own, strong support for the 20-year-old, with the Sunderland manager claiming he has been 'delighted' with his performances so far this season.

With that in mind, it does at least seem as though Ross will keep Embleton in mind for when he returns to full fitness.

Having now had to deal with this situation twice this year, Embleton will hope that by then, this is an injury he will have put well and truly behind him.

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