Narcis Pelach delivers positive injury update as Stoke City cavalry arrives.
Positive team news from Clayton Wood as Stoke City navigate a busy run of fixtures in the Championship.
Enda Stevens is back available, Ben Gibson is hoping for the green light and Sam Gallagher and Bosun Lawal could both come into contention as a much healthier looking Stoke City squad prepares for a mid-week trip to Luton Town.
Stevens has missed the last two games due to a leg injury which forced him off early against Preston North End but he has been passed fit to travel on Tuesday (7.45pm) and could return at left-back.
Captain Gibson missed a defeat at Sunderland on Saturday due to illness and is being given the once over at Clayton Wood today to see if he can make an immediate return. It was the first time that the centre-back had not made an appearance in the league so far this season.
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Gallagher stepped up his training significantly last week as he recovers from a hamstring injury sustained in early October. The 29-year-old striker will have to be managed to make sure he stays fit after a frustrating first few months at Stoke. Lawal will be eased in too as he bids for a debut. He had unknowingly played with a stress fracture in his lower back all through last season but was ordered to rest and rehabilitation when it was flagged in a medical when he signed from Celtic in the summer.
Ben Pearson is stepping up training too in hope that he can soon become available for the first time since April.
It is a boost for a trip to Luton but more so for the medium-term as Stoke try to haul themselves up the Championship table, particularly given that four of these returnees – plus Lynden Gooch, who has just returned from a knee injury – are among the most experienced players in a very young squad.
Narcis Pelach said in his pre-match press conference: “Ben Gibson will be assessed this morning. He has been ill and we’ll see if he’s available for tomorrow. I hope he is but we need to assess him today. The medical staff have said that until he goes through training and shows he can do it, we’re not in a position to play him.
“Enda Stevens is back. He will be involved in the Luton game.
“There were no fresh injuries (from the Sunderland game). We have Bosun and Sam who are very close to coming back. We will see if we can involve them for tomorrow and, if not, hopefully it will be for the weekend.
“Ben Pearson is progressing well but he will be a little bit later than Bosun and Sam.
“Gooch is available. I haven’t found the time to play him yet but he’s available for some minutes to come in and help the team as well.”
Pelach is expected to make changes from the Sunderland game and Wouter Burger, Ben Wilmot and Gooch are among the players hoping to come into his starting XI.
He said: “We will try to manage the squad a little bit. I’ve been trying to do that in order not to get injuries because we all know the Championship can be a nightmare if you have injuries, when games come so quickly. Players not being available reduces your potential to win games. That’s why I have been making changes from game to game, trying to reduce the stress mental and physical. I expect to do some changes.”
