Potters wait on Delap

Stoke manager Tony Pulis will give his long-throw specialist Rory Delap every chance to declare himself fit for Sunday’s clash at Portsmouth.

Delap missed last week’s defeat by Chelsea because of a hamstring strain, but he did resume training today and Pulis rates his chances at “50/50”.

Liam Lawrence is definitely out with an ankle injury after tripping over his pet Labrador on the stairs of his home, but the injury is not as serious as initially feared. Michael Tonge is in line to make his full debut as Lawrence’s replacement.

Ricardo Fuller should shake off a stomach virus to face one of his former clubs, while Pulis must decide between Leon Cort and Ibrahima Sonko at the heart of Stoke’s defence.

Team from: Sorensen, Griffin, Sonko, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Tonge, Diao, Olofinjana, Delap, Kitson, Fuller, Sidibe, Cresswell, Simonsen, Amdy Faye, Whelan, Shawcross, Soares.