Stoke City manager Michael O'Neill has revealed that Abdallah Sima could possibly make his return to action in the next couple of weeks whilst Morgan Fox will be forced to watch on from the sidelines until November.

Signed by the Potters on deadline day, Sima would have been hoping to make a positive impression for his new side during the early stages of the 2021/22 campaign.

However, the forward has only featured on three occasions for Stoke in all competitions and has missed the last three games as a result of an ankle injury.

Meanwhile, Fox has recently been struggling with a hamstring issue and has failed to make an appearance for the Potters in the Championship since their opening weekend victory over Reading.

In the absence of Sima and Fox, Stoke have managed to deliver some encouraging performances in the second-tier.

Particularly impressive during their showdown with West Bromwich Albion earlier this month, O'Neill's side secured an eye-catching victory in this clash.

Set to face Sheffield United this weekend, it will be intriguing to see whether Stoke are able to deliver the goods at Bramall Lane.

Ahead of this clash, O'Neill has shared an update on Sima and Fox.

Speaking to the Stoke Sentinel about the duo, the Potters boss said: "Sima will possibly be back in the next couple of weeks. Fox is still possibly four weeks away.

"With a hamstring injury it's important we don't rush him back.

 

 

"This is the third occurrence, albeit not in the same area on the same leg.

"We've got to manage him and make sure he's as strong as possible because it's been a little stop start for Morgan with the hamstring injuries he's had since he came to the club.

"When he's back it's important that he's durable and can stay fit and push to stay in the team."

The Verdict

Whilst it is safe to say that Stoke are not exactly struggling in the absence of this aforementioned duo, O'Neill will be hoping to call upon the services of Sima and Fox in the not too distant future.

Sima could potentially force the likes of Sam Surridge, Jacob Brown and Steven Fletcher to step up their performance levels when he is fit enough to feature.

Meanwhile, Fox may be able to use his wealth of experience at Championship level to his advantage by helping Stoke launch a push for promotion.

Having made 190 appearances in this division during his career, Fox knows exactly what it takes to deliver the goods in the second-tier and thus could prove to be a crucial asset for the Potters during the latter stages of the 2021/22 campaign.