SCHUMACHER KEEPING TABS ON FITNESS FOR SEASON FINALE

STEVEN Schumacher will make final-week assessments on Lynden Gooch and Ben Pearson as Stoke prepare for their last game of the season against Bristol City.

Gooch and Pearson are both nearing fitness after hamstring strains both picked up in a home defeat to Norwich back on March 16. But Schumacher has been clear with both that the priority is to make sure they are ready for a demanding pre-season schedule rather than take any risks now, especially considering Stoke have secured their Championship status.

The Sentinel understands that Mehdi Leris and Sead Haksabanovic missed the trip to Southampton with illness and a slight groin strain respectively and updates are expected later this week.

Ryan Mmaee will miss out as he recovers from a hamstring problem sustained in a 2-2 draw with West Brom on April 6.

Junior Tchamadeu (ankle) made his first appearance since late February with an energetic cameo in Saturday’s win over Southampton when Schumacher had named an unchanged starting XI from the team that beat Plymouth. The head coach, who turned 40 yesterday, is now weighing up whether to keep faith with that side for a third game in a row. Wouter Burger, a contender for player of the year, is hoping to return while Sol Sidibe and Nathan Lowe, who were both on the bench at St Mary’s, could be involved too.

Stoke are 18th in a congested bottom half and could realistically finish as high as 16th depending on goal difference and other results. They are unlikely to finish lower than 19th. They will be keen to reverse a trend at the bet365 Stadium against Bristol City, who have had the better of all five such encounters since Stoke dropped down from the Premier League in 2018.