Slaven Bilic has completed his pre-Stoke press conference. Here are the highlights from Super Slav’s pre-Potters presser:
“Mark Noble is definitely going to be back in the squad on Saturday.”
“Unfortunately it doesn’t look as if Andy Carroll is going to quite make the game against Stoke. It’s come too soon.”
“With the goalkeepers, I met with both of them and they have both taken the situation really well, Randolph too.”
“We are not panicking, but none of the teams, until mathematically, are safe. Maybe we have enough, but we can’t be sure. We’re three games unbeaten, and of course the confidence is higher. It’s related to the way we are training and the games we play.”
“Arthur Masuaku was relatively unknown here and he’s done everything that position requires. He is quick and strong.”
So… should skipper Mark Noble make an immediate return to the starting line-up? Or will he have to be satisfied with a place on the bench after Havard Nordtveit’s fine performance on Saturday against Everton?
Will Diafra Sakho start only his third game in eleven months at Stoke? Andy Carroll, regularly ridiculed by some for his own injury issues, has started 18 matches in the same timescale. Or will Jonathan Calleri retain his place in the XI?
Is Adrian back to stay? The Spaniard has kept three clean sheets in his last five Premier League games, either side of his omission from the side. Randolph has kept the same number of clean sheets in his last 17 matches.
And can Arthur Masuaku maintain his impressive performance level against Everton until the end of the season?