Etherington misses Blackpool trip

Stoke will be without influential winger Matthew Etherington for Saturday's Barclays Premier League trip to Blackpool after he tore a hamstring in the midweek win over Wolves. The 29-year-old faces a race against time to be fit for the FA Cup final against Manchester City on May 14 but striker Ricardo Fuller is definitely out after it was confirmed this week he suffered a ruptured Achilles in the draw with Aston Villa last weekend. Dean Whitehead, who replaced Etherington against Wolves, will hope to be given the chance to stake his claim for a cup final spot while John Carew could be given his first start in almost two months. Danny Higginbotham (knee) is a long-term absentee.

Source: PA