Harry Clarke came off the bench to score a crucial equaliser for Stoke City on Wednesday night as the on-loan Arsenal defender netted against Vincent Kompany’s Burnley – and the Stoke Sentinel have praised him, giving his cameo an 8.
Clarke, 21, is proving to be somewhat of a goalscoring defender after joining Stoke in what is his fourth loan away from Arsenal. Netting once at Oldham, he got three with Ross County and another at Hibernian. Now, he is at Stoke.
But he has endured a tricky spell, so far. He started Stoke’s first two games, and even scored against Blackpool in his second game – a 2-0 win. But he then suffered an injury, missing the next eight games for Alex Neil’s side.
However, he returned on the weekend as a substitute – and did the same on Wednesday night. Burnley had taken the lead when Connor Roberts broke the deadlock, but Clarke equalised – scoring a header from a Tarique Fosu cross.
The Stoke Sentinel ran a player ratings piece, and handed Arsenal defender Clarke an 8/10 for his substitute outing: “Brilliant work for the goal, making the attack in the first place before powering in the header.”
On-loan Arsenal defender Clarke praised after scoring equaliser
What a superb header it was from Clarke. Indeed, if he is catch the eye of those at Arsenal – Mikel Arteta, for example, he needs to do something that grabs their attention. Scoring regularly, as a defender, will certainly do that.
Clarke is yet to make his senior debut. He might have got the odd few minutes here and there, had he preferred to remain and not go out on loan. It is unclear when his current Arsenal contract expires – but he needs to start games.
If he has any chance of returning to Arsenal and getting a regular go in the Gunners side, he needs to start matches. But also, maintain this scoring rate. He is versatile, English, young. If not Arsenal, other clubs will certainly be keen.
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