Stoke City manager Mark Hughes has claimed that goalkeeper Jack Butland is "unlikely" to return to action against Everton this weekend following five months out with an ankle injury.
The 23-year-old, who was forced to miss England's Euro 2016 campaign as a result of the injury, was poised to make a comeback at the start of the season, but he suffered a setback.
Hughes has not completely ruled his keeper out of making an appearance at Goodison Park, but he expects Butland to be in better shape after the international break.
"Jack is still having a little bit of trouble and has been with the physios, so we will look at him over the next 24 hours," Hughes said in this morning's press conference.
"He may well got some pitch time today, which helps him to progress but I would suggest that this weekend's game is possibly too early for him. He may well benefit from the forthcoming international break and then come back ready to go afterwards.
"I aren't entirely ruling him out on Saturday, but at the moment it seems unlikely that we will throw him back in."
Shay Given has been holding the fort in goal in Butland's absence.
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