FOX LINED UP FOR POSH CITY RETURN
Potters hoping defender can shrug off his recent injury nightmare
STOKE City hope that Morgan Fox is over the injury woes that have left him sidelined for almost a year.
The 28-year-old defender had been a regular in the line-up in the first half of last season after joining as a free agent from Sheffield Wednesday.
But a hamstring injury he picked up in the Carabao Cup quarter-final against Tottenham left him out for almost two months and, three games later, he suffered a similar injury in the other leg and did not play again until August.
He started Stoke’s first league game of this season but only made one more appearance, in a Carabao Cup victory over Doncaster, before being ruled out with another hamstring injury.
Fox recently returned to training and coaches made the decision to give him time to settle down before hopefully coming into contention for selection for the home game against Peterborough this weekend.
It will be a big boost to
Potters boss Michael O’neill, adding a natural left-sided presence to either a back three or the option to revert to a back four.
The manager said: “He’s only really come into training recently and this is his third hamstring injury so it wouldn’t have been very wise to rush him back too soon.
“He will have essentially three weeks of training if you take into account the international break so realistically Peterborough at home was his best option to come back.
“We’ll examine him and it’s not been the same injury or even on the same side.
“We’ve done stuff medically and I think he’s been well handled by the medical team, he’s just been unfortunate in how he’s picked these things up.”
Meanwhile, Stoke defender Harry Souttar has reacted to the news that he will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury.
The centre-half was stretchered off in the 78th minute of Australia’s 0-0 World Cup qualifying draw with Saudi Arabia in Sydney on Thursday. Scans have confirmed the Potters’ worst fears of a right cruciate ligament injury, meaning Souttar faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The 23-year-old, pictured, will return to the UK for surgery before beginning the lengthy process of rehabilitation.
“Well my first trip to Australia was definitely better than my second,” Souttar wrote in an Instagram post accompanied by a crying laughing emoji. “Thanks for all the messages of support I have had in the last couple of days, unfortunately I’ll be out for the season with a ruptured ACL, but that’s football sometimes, now just have to concentrate on getting back soon as I can. Good luck to the Socceroos boys.” Australia manager Graham Arnold says Souttar will receive all the support he needs. Souttar has made a huge impression for the Socceroos since making his debut in 2019.
“We are devastated for Harry. This injury is a blow for an immensely talented young footballer, and in turn his country and club,” Arnold said after the extent of the injury was revealed.
“Harry is a determined and positive young man who will leave no stone unturned to return to the pitch as soon as possible.
“We will support Harry every step of the way and believe that he has an enormous future ahead of him playing at the highest levels of world football.”