Doubts over Etherington

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington remains doubtful ahead of this weekend’s Barclays Premier League trip to QPR.

Etherington missed last Sunday’s defeat by Manchester United after suffering a back injury in the previous week’s loss to Aston Villa.

Defender Marc Wilson (back/hamstring) is hopeful of returning while manager Tony Pulis is hopeful “one or two players with niggles” will be fit.

Provisional squad: Begovic, Sorensen, Cameron, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson, Wilkinson, Kightly, Shotton, Nzonzi, Whitehead, Etherington, Whelan, Adam, Jones, Walters, Crouch, Owen, Jerome, Palacios, Shea.