Stoke City targeting triple injury boost ahead of Championship fixture vs Sheffield United
Stoke City are hoping to receive some positive news on the injury front ahead of their clash with Sheffield United this weekend.
Stoke City manager Mark Robins has refused to rule out the prospect of Sam Gallagher, Ato Ampah and Junior Tchamadeu all being available for Saturday’s Championship clash with Sheffield United at the bet365 Stadium.
Tchamadeu and Ampah, neither of whom have featured so far this season, stepped up their comebacks from injury by featuring for the Under-21s against Borussia Mönchengladbach on Wednesday evening, while Gallagher is poised to train on Thursday.
Striker Gallagher has missed the last two matches after limping off in the first half of the Potters’ 4-0 win over Charlton Athletic at the bet365 Stadium almost a fortnight ago. He had started four of Stoke’s first five Championship matches this term.
However, despite missing the recent trips to Cardiff City and Watford, Gallagher’s injury is not as bad as first feared, meaning he could return against the Blades, as could Ampah and Tchamadeu.
Robins, as quoted by The Sentinel, said: “Gally will train again today (Thursday). Junior and Ato have played a couple of games now – Junior is up to 60 minutes, Ato played 82 or roundabout last night.
“They have to demonstrate really in training. They’ve got a recovery day today and then we’ll see what they look like tomorrow.
“It’s a really competitive squad and I’m not just going to put people in because they’re available. They’ve got to earn it. I don’t have to do that anymore.
“I need and want and demand everybody on the same page, everybody working to the same level, everybody working towards the same goal.”
Meanwhile, it looks as though the clash with the Blades will come too soon for Bosun Lawal, Svante Ingelsson and Aaron Cresswell, who is continuing to recover from a knee injury.
Stoke will welcome the Blades to the bet365 Stadium with ambitions of extending their unbeaten run to five matches. Following a disastrous start to the season that saw them lose each of their first three Championship outings, Robins’ troops have won three and drawn one of their last four matches.
They produced a dominant performance to beat Watford 2-1 at Vicarage Road last weekend, while they will be going in search of a third consecutive home win against the Blades after recently beating Norwich City 1-0 and Charlton 4-0 on home soil.