Etherington in fitness race

Winger could make comeback against Blues

Last updated: 6th March 2010   Subscribe to RSS Feed

Etherington in fitness race

Etherington: Fitness race

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Stoke manager Tony Pulis is hoping Matthew Etherington will be available for the FA Cup game against Chelsea on Sunday.

The Potters travel to Stamford Bridge for the quarter-final tie, hoping to upset the odds and earn the right to play at Wembley.

Etherington, though, has not played in Stoke's last four games after injuring his knee in the fifth-round clash against Manchester City on 13th February.

However, Pulis has revealed the 28-year-old is nearing full fitness once more and could make the team.

"We are still waiting on Matty Etherington being fit," he said.

"It is another player we desperately need in our team because he gives us something that we haven't got - pace and trickery down the side of the pitch."

The Stoke manager believes Etherington has still got an outside chance of making the England squad for this summer's World Cup, alongside Ryan Shawcross.

"He has been brilliant for us this year and he needs to get in the team," Pulis added.

"Having seen Ryan get into the England squad there is no reason why, if he continues his form, he hasn't got a shout as well.

"We signed Ryan at 19 and he has been a fantastic player for this club and is part of the future we are trying to build.

"I think when you are dealing with the great players he has been dealing with it will give him an insight into what he has to do if he has aspirations of playing for his country."