Delap a doubt for Stoke

Stoke manager Tony Pulis will decide on the fitness of five of his players before finalising preparations for tomorrow’s Premier League clash at Blackburn.

Rory Delap (shoulder), Andy Griffin (knee), Salif Diao (calf), Leon Cort (groin) and Dave Kitson, who is close to returning from a knee injury, will all take late tests.

Defender Ryan Shawcross has recovered from a back problem to return to contention, but winger Liam Lawrence has been ruled out by Pulis despite a big improvement to his long-term ankle injury.

Striker Mamady Sidibe, carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury against Fulham last Saturday, is out of Stoke’s Christmas programme, but should return early in the New Year.

Provisional squad: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Sonko, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Delap, Amdy Faye, Whelan, Pugh, Fuller, Cresswell, Tonge, Griffin, Diao, Simonsen, Olofinjana, Cort, Pericard, Kitson, Davies, Soares, Dickinson.