O’Neill to run the rule over new Stoke side at Barnsley

Posted Friday, November 08, 2019 by PA

Michael O’Neill will oversee Stoke as they head to fellow strugglers Barnsley.

The Northern Ireland boss was announced as Nathan Jones’ replacement on Friday and will be at Oakwell, with Rory Delap having prepared the side all week.

O’Neill will then return to Northern Ireland for their forthcoming European qualifiers, before going back to Stoke to help their fight against relegation.

He can expect to have Lee Gregory fit for selection after getting the green light from medical staff on the forward’s recent knee injury.

There will be further checks on Scott Hogan, who was withdrawn from the bench after failing to come through the warm-ups ahead of Monday’s defeat to West Brom.

Barnsley are just a place above Stoke in the Championship table.

Adam Murray continues in caretaker charge of the Reds, whose only victory came on the opening day of the season, and must decide whether to make changes.

Former captain Mike Bahre, left-back Dani Pinillos and winger Mamadou Thiam have fallen out of favour since Daniel Stendel’s sacking but Murray has yet to find a winning formula.

Jordan Williams is coming back from a calf injury and is absent from the defence once again.