Hogg in contention to return for Stoke clash

Posted Monday, December 30, 2019 by PA

Huddersfield manager Danny Cowley is hoping midfielder Jonathan Hogg will be back to face Stoke on New Year’s Day.

Hogg has been absent with a hip injury but is on course to regain fitness and Cowley is also optimistic about having playmaker Alex Pritchard (knee) and forward Collin Quaner (hip) back in action before long.

Cowley says Quaner went to see a surgeon in Germany last week in a bid to aid his recovery and will be like a new signing when he is fit.

Defender Tommy Elphick is ruled out for the season with knee ligament damage, but both left-back Jaden Brown and midfielder Lewis O’Brien caught the eye on their return to the side in the 2-1 win over Blackburn on Sunday, when striker Fraizer Campbell also came off the bench in the second half for his first appearance since November.

Stoke manager Michael O’Neill will be forced to ring the changes following Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Fulham.

O’Neill’s priority is to plug the gap caused by the latest injury to Potters skipper Ryan Shawcross, who went off with a calf muscle problem late on in the game at Craven Cottage.

It was the latest setback for the defender who suffered a broken ankle during a pre-season friendly against Leicester and limped out of his comeback match in December with a groin strain.

O’Neill was unable to replace Shawcross on Sunday as he had already used three substitutes, but he was encouraged by the impact made off the bench by Bruno Martins Indi, Sam Vokes and Tyrese Campbell, who could all get a start on Wednesday.