Stoke’s Wollscheid could miss trip to Sunderland

REUTERS – Stoke City centre-back Philipp Wollscheid will undergo a late fitness test ahead of Saturday’s Premier League visit to third-from-bottom Sunderland, manager Mark Hughes said.

Hughes’ team, who sit in 11th place in the table, have the fourth-best defensive record in the league this season, conceding just 12 goals in 13 league games.

Much of that is down to Wollscheid and captain Ryan Shawcross, who returned to the team at the end of October after a three-month injury layoff.

“The only real problem we have at the moment is with Philipp Wollscheid unfortunately,” Hughes said at his pre-match news conference.

“He’s a little bit sore in the pelvis area which prevented him from being able to train with the group (on Thursday) morning. We are trying to settle it down.”

If Wollscheid is not deemed fit, Geoff Cameron could partner Shawcross in central defence.

(Reporting by Simon Jennings in Bengaluru. Editing by Patrick Johnston)