Etherington to miss out on cup final?

Matthew Etherington’s participation in the FA Cup final has been left in jeopardy after he was stretchered off from last night’s match against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

The Stoke City winger had to leave the pitch in the first half due to an injury to his left hamstring. A scan today should reveal the prospects of recovery before the Potters face Manchester City at Wembley on May 14.

“It would be a massive disappointment if Matty misses the final, but we will know more when he has had the scan,” manager Tony Pulis told the club’s site. “We’ve got 18 days to get him right, which means seven or eight days to get it right and then ten days to get it as strong as possible.

“We haven’t got the resources that Manchester City have and it would be hard enough for us to take them on with all our top players fit, but now we have a major doubt on top of the fact that we have already lost Ric and Danny Higginbotham.”

Ricardo Fuller has been written off for the remainder of the season due to an Achilles tendon injury while Higginbotham is nursing a knee ligament problem.

Stoke went on to enjoy a 3-0 victory over Wolves last night, placing them ninth in the table with a comfortable eight points distancing them from the relegation zone.