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Stoke City team news vs Bristol City as midfielder misses out

The bet365 Stadium ahead of Stoke's home match against Bristol City.
-Credit: (Image: Nathan Stirk/Getty Images)


Wouter Burger sits out as Stoke City take on Bristol City under the lights at the bet365 Stadium (7.45pm).

Burger limped out of Stoke's 1-1 draw with Norwich on Saturday with what appeared to be a foot injury and Stoke's medical team gave him as much chance as possible of being passed fit to be involved this evening. But the 23-year-old midfielder will instead watch from the stands, replaced in the starting XI by Jordan Thompson.

Enda Stevens, an influential figure at left-back, also makes way as Narcis Pelach manages the defender following a series of frustrating injuries - and a big output against Norwich. The 34-year-old is on the bench, with Eric Bocat coming back into the back four.

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Pelach had explained after the weekend's game: "(Enda is) very experienced, he ran a lot. He's 34 but the numbers were from a kid of 22. It's in the mind, you know. We can do it if we want, no excuses. We need to get our fitness levels here and become the fittest team in the Championship one day.

"We are very young and I think Enda brings composure. It's not just what he does but what he makes others do. I was worried a little about our left side, how we would press when we went high, instead of playing Eric I thought Enda would talk and communicate better with Junho, because Junho had only a day to be coached. I relied on Enda to help him throughout the game and it was clear. Junho got his defensive duties right."

Stoke are otherwise unchanged, with Viktor Johansson in goal, Michael Rose and Ben Gibson at centre-half and Ben Wilmot at right-back. Andrew Moran joins Thompson in midfield, with Junho on the left and Million Manhoef on the right. It's Lewis Koumas up front next to Tom Cannon. Sol Sidibe is back on the bench, taking Burger's place in the squad.

Stoke: Johansson, Wilmot, Rose, Gibson, Bocat, Thompson, Moran, Junho, Manhoef, Koumas, Cannon. Subs: Bonham, Tchamadeu, Phillips, Stevens, Seko, Sidibe, Vidigal, Ennis, Tezgel.

Bristol City: O'Leary, Tanner, Vyner, McNally, McCrorie, Williams, Knight, Bird, Sykes, Mehmeti, Wells. Subs: Bajic, Naismith, Hirakawa, Morrison, McGuane, Cornick, Earthy, Mayulu, Armstrong.

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