Extra options the hope for Robins for Derby encounter

MARK Robins expects to have one or two more players back available to him ahead of Stoke City’s Championship curtain raiser against Derby County at the bet365 Stadium next Saturday, after four first-team players missed out on a place in the Potters’ squad for the final friendly, against Burnley, this weekend.

- Joe Chapman

Stoke edged proceedings 1-0 thanks to an early Ben Wilmot goal, and the bulk of the squad who Robins has leaned on throughout preseason as the club through Jon Walters have sought to add to the group came through the final hurdle without any issues - indeed there were welcome minutes for Sam Gallagher, who returned from injury.

Summer-signed centre halves Maksym Talovierov and Ashley Phillips were both missing here, though, so too were Ben Gibson and Lewis Baker; while Phillips and Baker were struck down with illness and kept away from the squad, Talovierov is still overcoming his hamstring issue sustained earlier in preseason.

Gibson - and free agent Steven Nzonzi, who has been back training with the club and who was in attendance on Saturday as Stoke edged the promoted Clarets, who had former midfielder Josh Laurent sent off in the second half - trained on Saturday morning. They'll join in again on Monday.