The 23-year-old winger has been a regular for Tony Mowbray’s side and has begun this season in an impressive manner.
Sunderland’s strikers are struggling to find the back of the net, but Clarke has been a source of goals for Mowbray’s side this season, contributing nine goals in 17 games.
On Wednesday, the winger failed to save Sunderland from suffering their second straight defeat in the league against Huddersfield and Collins stressed that the Wearsiders need to stop relying on Clarke too much.
Collins added that the other players in the team need to start chipping in with performances to take the weight off Clarke’s shoulders.
“He is the main man for us”, Collins said on Sunderland’s media.
“I think we do rely on him a little bit too much at times; you see the amount of ball we give him onto the touch line.
“Credit to him, he keeps on going.
“He looked a little bit frustrated [on Wednesday], but we cannot keep relying on Jack; other lads have to take the weight off him in that final third and start doing a little bit more as well.”
Clarke has failed to score in his last four league appearances for Sunderland and Mowbray will be hoping that he can find his shooting boots against Millwall at the weekend.
