By Phil Haigh
28 Apr 2011 13:11:00
EPL : Matthew Etherington, Stoke City v Wolverhampton
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Stoke City have confirmed that Matthew Etherington has a hamstring tear and remains a major doubt for the FA Cup final.
The in-form winger suffered the injury during Tuesday night’s 3-0 win over Wolves and a scan on Wednesday revealed the extent of the problem, although the club maintain hope that they can get him fit for Wembley.
Assistant manager Dave Kemp told The Sentinel: “The scan has shown there is a tear on the hamstring, so that’s not the best news. But we are doing everything we can to get him ready for the final.
“Initially we have iced down the injury, but then we can use oxygen chambers and every remedy we possibly can to shorten the recovery time.”
The 29-year-old will be desperate to return to fitness in time and go one better than he did in 2006 when he was a runner-up with West Ham, but the odds seem heavily stacked against him.
“Matt has been fantastic for us and is a fabulous talent,” Kemp continued. “If he doesn’t play he will be a big miss and it would be terrible for him personally. He is a great lad, as well as a fantastic player.
“But we haven’t given up on him playing. You can look at these things negatively or positively – and we are being positive.
“We are still a little in the unknown. The injury was only on Tuesday, so we have to see how it settles.”
