Tony Pulis has revealed he is contemplating bringing attacking duo Ricardo Fuller and Liam Lawrence back into the starting line up for tomorrow's Barclays Premier League clash against Birmingham City.

The City boss opted to name the pair on the substitutes bench ahead of Wednesday's 4-0 reverse at Anfield, but he admits he could throw them straight back into the firing line for the local derby at St. Andrews.

"With having three away games in the space of a week I thought it was best to freshen things up a little bit at Liverpool," he told stokecityfc.com.

"We have a big game with Birmingham coming up, and then with Leyton Orient in the week too it could take its toll on the players.

"Ricardo and Liam give absolutely everything in every game they play and I thought we needed to maybe give them a little rest.

"They are both massively important players for this football club and I am hoping they are fresh now and maybe so are one or two others."

The Potters make the short trip down the M6 on Saturday to take on newly promoted Birmingham City, and Pulis is anticipating a very different encounter to that of Liverpool.

"It will be a very different game on Saturday, it will be very competitive and we have to make sure we are up for it," he added.

"They will be ready after beating Portsmouth on Wednesday and we have to go there and make sure we do the basics right.

"Our away form isn't good enough; it wasn't good enough last year and that is something we have got to try and put right, starting on Saturday."