Stoke City boss delivers Bosun Lawal and Ben Pearson update in latest injury news
Bosun Lawal will play for Stoke City under-21s tonight as he builds up minutes to try to make his way into Mark Robins’ plans.
The versatile 21-year-old has had to be patient after a medical when he signed from Celtic last summer flagged up a stress fracture in his lower back that has taken longer to heal than he had hoped.
He has returned to training and made a couple of first team cameos from the bench but needs game time – and the winter schedule in Premier League 2 hasn’t helped on that score. But he will be involved when Stoke head to Manchester City (7pm) – and Ben Pearson, who hasn’t played since a hamstring injury last April, will join in the 21s for a National League Cup game at Rochdale next Tuesday.
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“Bosun will play (against Man City),” said Robins. “Pearo is not going to play in that but he will play against Rochdale next week.”
He added: “Bosun was a centre-half by trade and he’s been looked at in a midfield area and maybe even an attacking midfield area. He can score goals, he’s a good finisher and he has really good feet around the box. His injury has set him back and set us back as a club because he looks for all intents and purposes like he can be a real asset and a really good Championship footballer. I look forward to him being fit.”
Jordan Thompson, who has been missing with a groin injury, has had surgery this week to try to find a resolution and is now following a rehabilitation process.
Robins said: “He’ll be out until it’s healed. Generally what happens now we say, ‘That’s that and it’s going to be that’ and I really don’t like it because it puts a thing in the player’s mind that it’s going to be four to six weeks so it’ll be four to six weeks. Rather than doing that, you know there is a certain amount of time it will take to heal and then you can manage the pain or how much you’re putting yourself at risk of another injury or a reinjury.
“I don’t like just saying, ‘It’s going to be this,’ because if they can shave some time off it, brilliant for everybody. Players miss playing and we need people fit. We’ve got to work our socks off to get them back and be available for us as often as they possibly can.”
Ben Gibson could return to the squad after missing the Sunderland trip with injury.
“I can’t confirm nor deny that,” said Robins. “I’m not trying to be evasive but I don’t want to give an opponent any advantage. I’m going to look at training and then make decisions on the final squad.”
Million Manhoef (knee), Eric Bocat (calf) and Sam Gallagher (hamstring) remain in the treatment room.
