Sunderland Vs. Wigan Athletic: Phil Bardsley Injury Sees Defender Stretchered Off

2011 has not been the best of years for Sunderland fans. No, their team aren't losing (yet) today against Wigan Athletic, but they have been hit by yet another bad-looking injury in the early going at the Stadium of Light, adding to Steve Bruce's mounting concerns. This time it's left-back Phil Bardsley in trouble, having clashed with not a Wigan player but his own man in Nedum Onuoha. Yikes.

The medical staff rushed out to treat the stricken defender, but it takes a full seven minutes to get him onto a stretcher and off the pitch. Antoine Ferdinand has to take his place as again Bruce finds himself burning one of his substitutes early. It's still 0-0 in Sunderland, but to the fans it sure won't feel like it after seeing one of their most reliable players hurt that badly. Bardsley joins the likes of John Mensah, Craig Gordon, and Kieran Richardson on the sidelines. With Sunderland's injury luck, is it any surprise that they're mired in an awful slump lately?