The left back has not been able to cement a place in the first eleven this season after returning from a loan spell at Bolton last year. He has never really returned to the heights of his breakthrough season.
Earl clearly needs some game time and experience of playing week in week out. He has made mistakes this season but it is apparent that he still has the ability to make it at this level.
Hopefully a spell at Burton will reboot his season and Earl can then step up next term when the left back spot could be up for grabs with Hughes no longer a guaranteed first choice and there will be uncertainty over Cunningham as his loan spell will end.