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‘Ready to go’ – Top figure reveals early team news for Newcastle clash v Stoke
Stoke City boss Mark Hughes has revealed that he rested a handful of his top stars for their clash against Chelsea with a view for the club’s New Year’s Day match against Newcastle United.
The Potters fielded a weakened side at Stamford Bridge, with the likes of star men Xherdan Shaqiri and Joe Allen left on the substitutes’ bench and teen duo Josh Tymon and Thomas Edwards starting against the reigning champions.
The changes resulted in Stoke being on the end of a 5-0 thrashing by the Blues, but Hughes insists it was worth it to rest his top stars for the home tie against relegation rivals Newcastle two days later, revealing some early team news for the showdown in Staffordshire.
He was quoted by the Independent as saying: “We’ll have Joe Allen available, Shaqiri available, [Eric Maxim] Choupo-Moting only did 10 to 15 minutes today, [Kurt] Zouma available, maybe Erik Pieters.
“The landscape for Monday changes completely, hopefully.
“I made decisions I feel will help us with the game we have on Monday. We rested players carrying knocks who will be fresh and ready to go”
While Stoke suffered defeat on Saturday, Newcastle were forced to share the points with fellow promoted side Brighton at St James’ Park, as the two clubs played out a dour 0-0 draw.
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The result means that the Magpies are sitting in 16th, just one point ahead of the relegation zone and a point off Stoke, who are sitting one place ahead Rafael Benitez and his men.
The two clubs faced off against each other on Tyneside earlier this season, with goals from Christian Atsu and Jamaal Lascelles securing a 2-1 win for the Magpies.
In other Newcastle United news, fans took to Twitter to slam the display of a Toon Army favourite in the dour draw against Brighton.