TONY PULIS plans to introduce "fresh legs" to help combat the threat posed by title hopefuls Arsenal in the Barclays Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
Stoke City's manager will welcome back captain Abdoulaye Faye and full-back Andy Wilkinson from suspension and is also hopeful of having winger Matthew Etherington available as well.
Pulis indicated that he plans to make changes after taking his squad away for a two-night break to help them recuperate from a punishing four-day spell earlier this week in which they won in the Premier League at Portsmouth and then overcame Manchester City in the FA Cup.
"We will need the fresh legs so I plan to change it around a bit because we've had a couple of tough games and we face another massive test tomorrow," commented the Potters boss.
"In order to get any sort of result against Arsenal, we have to make sure we are mentally and physically right. We have to raise our energy levels as high as possible again because you have to run around more than them to combat the considerable threat that they pose to us."
He added: "They've had a lovely free week, we've been hard at it travelling to Portsmouth last Saturday and then playing extra-time to get through to the FA Cup quarter finals.
"That what was why it was important to take them away after the FA Cup replay, have a change of scenery and recuperate as a group from what has been a very demanding period. So hopefully, they'll be up and at them come tomorrow evening when the game kicks off."
Etherington will undergo a late fitness test on his injured right knee before a decision is made whether to bring him back into the side for the visit of the Gunners, while defender Danny Higginbotham will also be the subject of a late check on his back problem.
"Matty has been working hard with the medical team over the past couple of days and has been coming on well," said Pulis. "If he's okay, then we plan to bring him back."
City's manager reiterated once again that a big performance is needed from the supporters if they are to continue the excellent form of late which has seen them go 11 matches unbeaten.
"As ever, the supporters were fantastic again on Wednesday night and they played their part in lifting us when it went to extra time," he declared. "But it's going to require everyone to raise their game - or the volume in the case of the fans - against a very good side."
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