Pulis faces mounting injury problems

Stoke boss Tony Pulis says he may bring in a new face to ease the strain on his squad after Saturday's draw with Blackpool, reports BBC Radio Stoke.

Pulis was fuming after two players were injured in the match, claiming the referee's late arrival was to blame.

"Last week we thought we had done a deal but it fell through so we'll see what we can do," he said.

"We never get muscular injuries and we have copped it because the referee cannot turn up on time."

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Saturday's game with Blackpool was delayed by 30 minutes while referee Mike Pike attempted to get to the ground and Pulis feels that due to the cold weather this led to the injuries that Leon Cort and Salif Diao sustained.

"We work very hard on the fitness levels of this team," he said.

"But in one game Salif goes off with a hamstring injury after six minutes and Leon later goes off with a calf injury.

"It is nothing to do with Stoke City that the referee turned up late but we'll just count the players we have left and put a team on the field and get on with it."

Stoke travel to Sheffield Wednesday on Saturday.