Stoke City

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Fulham defender Gabriel Zakuani has secured a return to Stoke City. The 20-year-old defender has moved back to the Britannia Stadium after Stoke agreed a season-long loan deal.

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Stoke have signed Jamaica midfielder Demar Phillips for what the club describe as a "significant but undisclosed fee". Left-sided midfielder Phillips, 23 - an international colleague of Potters striker Ricardo Fuller - has penned a three-year deal at the Britannia Stadium from Jamaican club Waterhouse.

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Stoke City v Wolves match preview

Versatile young defender Gabriel Zakuani is expected to go straight into Tony Pulis' squad after returning to Stoke from Fulham for a second loan spell.

Teenage Belgian defender Richie De Laet could feature after receiving international clearance but Pulis is certain to be without Stephen Wright, Vincent Pericard and on-loan Wolves defender Jody Craddock.

Wolves striker Stephen Elliott is set to return after recovering from the ankle injury which has kept him on the sidelines since the opening day defeat by Watford.

Jay Bothroyd (thigh) is unlikely to make the trip to the Britannia Stadium and Stephen Gleeson will be given a late fitness test after sustaining a hip injury in the Carling Cup defeat by Morecambe.

Skysports

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Stoke City 0 Wolves 0

Stoke and Wolves started the day in third and fourth place respectively and a tight contest was always likely at the Britannia Stadium and that is how it proved.

Neither side could find a way through as they played out a goalless draw.

Skysports

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Stoke's Stephen Wright has revealed he escaped a badly broken ankle because of an old injury. Wright was injured during Stoke's home game against Charlton on 18th August and initially thought he had broken his ankle before learning that an old wound prevented it from being so serious. The 27-year-old defender is now targeting a possible comeback against Hull a week on Saturday.

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Rory Delap has admitted that it will be some time before he returns to the top of his game. The 31-year-old suffered a double break in October during the match against Sunderland, but has now returned to first-team action. Delap explained that he is lacking sharpness, but is aware that this will return in time.

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Pericard will return to Stoke City next week following his early release from prison. The 24-year-old former Portsmouth player received a four month jail term in August for perverting the course of justice over a driving offence. But he will be released from jail early on Monday - although he will be fitted with an electronic tag which will mean he will probably have to move to the Stoke area.

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Stoke v Plymouth preview

Stoke boss Tony Pulis is set to recall Clint Hill and Gabriel Zakuani to his defence, with Carl Dickinson injured and Jody Craddock returning to Wolves.

Jon Parkin and Ricardo Fuller are set to continue up front.

Plymouth manager Ian Holloway has indicated that he will stick with the same side that beat Queens Park Rangers on Tuesday.

He has no new injuries to contend with as Argyle look for a third win in four away from home.

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Stoke - Plymouth 3-2

1-0 10 min. Seip [og]
1-1 52 min. Seip
1-2 59 min. Fallon
2-2 66 min. Lawrence
3-2 73 min. Fuller

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Stoke City will be without defender Clint Hill for up to six weeks after an X-ray revealed he has a fractured rib. Hill was substituted in the second-half of Saturday's win over Plymouth after suffering what appeared to be just a slight knock.

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Stoke City youngster Rob Garrett has moved back on loan to Wrexham for the remainder of the season.

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Stoke City v Colchester match preview

Stoke boss Tony Pulis welcomes back Rory Delap after a groin injury, although Clint Hill (broken rib) is out.

Gabriel Zakuani's injury could give a start to Belgian teenager Ritchie De Laet.

Free-scoring Colchester United will give winger Kevin McLeod a late test as he has been suffering from the flu.

Keeper Aidan Davison is back after recovering from a groin injury, however, Dean Gerken could well retain his place in goal.

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Stoke City 2-1 Colchester

Stoke climbed into fourth place with a 2-1 success over Colchester at The Britannia Stadium. The Potters went ahead after just eight minutes when on-loan defender Ryan Shawcross headed home Liam Lawrence's corner. Stoke look comfortable, but a defensive error from Dominic Matteo handed Clive Platt the chance to level - which he did. The home side claimed the win with 17 minutes left as Lawrence was sent clear by Ricardo Fuller's reverse pass and the former Sunderland man made no mistake with a neat finish.

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Stoke's Pericard re-arrested

Stoke City's Vincent Pericard has been re-arrested due to problems with his electronic tag.

Pericard was sent to prison in August for perverting the course of justice, after claiming he was not the driver of a speeding car in Devon 18 months ago.

The former Portsmouth striker was sentenced to four months but released after just five weeks.

The 25-year-old's tag, which detached itself after training earlier in the week, has come loose once more following Stoke's reserve game on Wednesday.

The club confirmed that the Frenchman had been detained, but explained that they hope to have the matter resolved as soon as possible.

"Stoke City can confirm Vincent Pericard has been re-arrested due to problems concerning his electronic tag," read a statement on the club's official website.

"The club are hopeful the matter will be quickly resolved. No further comment will be made at this time."

Skysports

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John Rudge says he is delighted to have signed a new three-year deal at the Britannia Stadium. The 62-year-old, who took over as Stoke's director of football in 1999, has overseen a steady rise in the Championship club's fortunes. The club are currently in fifth place in the table and former boss Rudge has now set his sights on helping manager Tony Pulis lead the Potters into the Premier League.