Football
PA Sport 8y

Stoke's Mark Hughes not planning Phil Bardsley January loan

Mark Hughes has no intention of letting Phil Bardsley leave Stoke in January.

Stoke will be looking to maintain their good form when they travel to Sunderland on Saturday, but Bardsley is unlikely to feature against his old club.

Glen Johnson has displaced Bardsley in the Stoke first team since his summer arrival from Liverpool.

The former Manchester United defender has played just one league match so far this season and was sent off on his last appearance in the Capital One Cup against Chelsea.

Hughes has been impressed by Bardsley's attitude in training, however, and is not looking to let the 30-year-old leave the Britannia Stadium in January.

"I am not really looking to get Phil out," the Stoke manager said.

"It's important that we have that defensive cover so a loan deal for Phil is not something I am really looking to do.

"I would rather have him in the building and available if we need him. He is doing fine.

"He has a great attitude around the place. He has just been unfortunate. Glen Johnson has come in and has been playing exceptionally well and at a high level and at the moment he will have to wait for opportunities. He understands that."

Hughes may have to make one change for the trip to the Stadium of Light as centre-back Philipp Wollscheid is struggling with a sore pelvis.

Geoff Cameron or Marc Wilson could replace Wollscheid should the German not make it.

Stoke have recovered from their worst ever Premier League start to go on a run of one defeat in their last 10 matches in all competitions.

The likes of Xherdan Shaqiri and Bojan have started living up to the hype that surrounded their arrivals and Jack Butland has been in superb form in goal.

Hughes has been delighted by his team's recovery, but insists there is still room for improvement.

"I think results-wise we are doing OK, but performance-wise we still think there is more to come," he said.

"Individually we have had good games and three or four players within the team have been exceptional while others haven't hit the heights they are capable of.

"It hasn't totally clicked where everyone has played well on the same day."

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