Stoke City Football Club News

• Nickname:Potters
• Founded:1863
• Manager:Tony Pulis

• Ground:Britannia Stadium
• Capacity:28,218

Stoke wait on Higginbotham

09 Apr 2009 - 12:54:43

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Stoke City are hopeful that Danny Higginbotham can shake off a back injury in time to face Newcastle United in Saturday's crunch Premier League encounter.

The combative full-back played the full 90 minutes of last weekend's 2-0 victory over West Bromwich Albion despite picking up the problem in the first half.

Higginbotham has undergone intensive treatment this week in the hope of being passed fit to face the Magpies and manager Tony Pulis is keeping his fingers crossed that he can call on the left-back.

"You're always concerned when you see a player such as Danny grimacing because he's not one to show pain easily," he said.

"He seems to have twisted and strained his back somehow last Saturday and it's still causing him problems.

"He's been having intensive treatment and we're obviously keeping a close eye on his progress ahead of Saturday.

"You obviously don't want any unnecessary disruption in your back four after a couple of clean sheets, so it's a case of fingers crossed.

"Danny has done terrifically well at left-back for us all season and is obviously desperate to get out there against Newcastle because he knows just how big the game is."