ONDON: Stoke City’s Michael Owen played 70 minutes in a closed-door friendly against Preston North End on Tuesday, but is unlikely to be risked in tomorrow’s Premier League clash against Everton.
The 32-year-old former England striker has made just four appearances for the club since joining on a pay-as-you-play contract in September having been hampered by groin and hamstring injuries.
“We have maybe pushed Michael a little bit too hard at times, so we want to give him another week, and maybe fit another game in for him in that time too,” manager Tony Pulis told the club’s website (www.stokecityfc.com) yesterday. “We need to make sure he is ready when we do include him again.”
Pulis also said Charlie Adam was likely to return to the starting line-up, having missed the goalless draw with Aston Villa at the weekend through suspension.
Unbeaten in six matches, Stoke play three of the next four games at the Britannia Stadium and will look to improve on their ninth place in the Premier League standings.
Meanwhile, Joachim Loew yesterday said that with a record seven Bundesliga teams in the knock-out stages of either the Champions League or Europa League, Germany’s European success can only help the national side. “It has always been my wish that we would have more teams in the knock-out stages than just Bayern Munich,” Germany’s head coach Loew said in Berlin yesterday. “For the players, it is very important to gather these experiences. It’s a good basis for next year.”
For the first time, seven German clubs will be involved when the knock-out phase of both the Champions League and Europa League are drawn on December 20. Next Thursday, the Bundesliga trio of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04 will discover their Champions League last 16 opponents after all three finished top of their groups.
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