'INJURED POTTERS CAN PLAY BIG ROLES'

Walters says players in the treatment room are still essential to the club's Championship fortunes

- Peter Smith

OUT OF ACTION: Stoke City Keeper Viktor Johansson is recovering after undergoing shoulder surgery.

VIKTOR Johansson and Robert Bozenik will remain key figures in day-to-day life at Stoke City while they are on the injury list.

Johansson and Bozenik are both recovering from shoulder surgery last week while an update is expected today on Junior Tchamadeu, who is back at Clayton Wood to have a knee injury he picked up on Cameroon duty assessed.

No public timescale has been put on recovery but they will not be isolated in the treatment room until they get the green light to train again.

Lewis Baker (ankle), Eric Bocat (knee), Aaron Cresswell (calf) and Ben Gibson (hamstring) are hoping to return to Mark Robins' plans soon, with QPR up next at home tomorrow (3pm).

Striker Nathan Lowe, aged 20, has a loan spell at Stockport County as he recuperates from a leg injury but there are hopes he could be back playing next month.