Stoke are set to be boosted by the return from a cruciate ligament injury of Mamady Sidibe. The Malian striker has been sidelined for seven months but is now set to join in training with the first-team next week with a view to playing a reserve-team game later in the month.

Sidibe insists he wants to get back playing in order to repay the Stoke fans.

"I want to pay the fans back, because their support helps me a lot. I don't score 15 or 20 goals a season for them, but they know I always give everything," Sidibe told The Sentinel.

"I have had a lot of nice messages from supporters. That makes me happy and more confident. Now I want to repay them when I get back on the pitch."