Mark Hughes reveals defensive injury worries for Stoke
Thursday 3 March 2016 17:17, UK
Stoke manager Mark Hughes goes into Saturday's match against Chelsea with a number of defensive injury concerns.
Stoke defeated Newcastle 1-0 on Wednesday, stretching their winning run in the Premier League to three games, although their latest three points have come at a cost.
Right-back Phil Bardsley is facing a number of weeks on the sidelines after being forced off in the first half with a calf injury, while Geoff Cameron is doubtful for the trip to Stamford Bridge with a recurrence of an ankle problem.
Captain Ryan Shawcross is in Germany to see a specialist about his back injury, while Glen Johnson and Marc Wilson will definitely miss out through injury.
"We've got five fit defenders at the moment, but some of them aren't 100 per cent fit," said Hughes. "We are a little bit stretched, it is fair to say, but the guys are putting their hand up and getting out there, so that's good."
"Phil Bardsley is going to be out for a number of weeks. Geoff Cameron is really, really sore once again, but we suspected that would be the case after two games in a short space of time.
"We felt if he'd been able to play in the centre-back position, maybe it would have been better for him, and obviously once Phil got injured and had to come off, then he had to get down the right-hand side and put crosses in.
"That was always going to compromise his injury, but we hope he is going to be okay."
Midfielder Charlie Adam and goalkeeper Shay Given are also out injured, with calf and knee issues respectively.
Given has been out since suffering a knee injury during the Republic of Ireland's 1-0 win over Germany in October, but Hughes revealed he is on his way back to full fitness.
"Shay is back out on the grass, which is encouraging," he said. "It's early days yet. He's not doing all elements of the sessions with them at the moment but he is back on the grass, which is encouraging for him.
"It has been a long time but we're hopeful that before the end of the season he will be fit and available."
