Nathan Jones has suggested that Joe Allen may regain his place in the Stoke City side for their visit to Birmingham City on the weekend.

The Welshman was last week dropped from the Potters' midfield following their poor start to the season, which has seen them pick up just one point from their first five matches.

Allen started on the bench during last weekend's 3-0 defeat to Leeds United and eventually came on in the 73rd minute, but he was not involved when the two sides met in the Carabao Cup in midweek.

Stoke boss Jones has now hinted that Allen could return to the Potters' starting line-up at St Andrew's, claiming the 29-year-old has simply been resting during the past week.

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Jones says there was a solid reason behind his decision to not include Allen in the side, and he now hopes the midfielder will return to the team with a spring in his step.

"We haven’t dropped Joe Allen and told him to do one. When people need rest, which Joe did, then they get it," Jones told the Stoke website.

“It is all done with reasoning behind it, and like I say, hopefully when Joe does come back into the side we will really see him playing to the level that everybody knows he is capable of.”

The verdict

I'm not sure this would be a decision to get many Stoke fans on Jones' side, as they seemed fairly happy to see Allen sit out the last two fixtures.

I'm surprised to see Jones suggest that Allen could return to the side so soon after he was dropped, as you would think he may need more than a week's rest to perform at his best.

Having said that, Allen is a player with undeniable quality and he could really make a difference to Stoke's midfield if he is able to find his best form.

It is obvious that Allen has not been at his best so far this season, but I do think that Jones is ultimately making the correct decision to persist with him in the side.