Higginbotham boost for Stoke

Defender Danny Higginbotham should be fit to take his place in an unchanged side when Stoke host Newcastle in a massive relegation battle tomorrow.

Higginbotham only returned to full training today after injuring his back during last Saturday’s victory at West Brom but he is expected to be available.

Stoke’s Senegal international midfielders Salif Diao and Amdy Faye, who both missed the trip to the Hawthorns with knocks, are struggling to recover in time.

Stoke (from): Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Higginbotham, Lawrence, Delap, Whelan, Etherington, Beattie, Fuller, Simonsen, Pugh, Cresswell, Olofinjana, Kelly, Camara, Sonko, Amdy Faye, Diao, Cort, Tonge, Griffin.