Fulham Travel to Twente as Stoke Host Kiev in Europa League
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December 1, 2011 TheFreshOutlook  |
Martin Jol’s team come up against FC Twente in Holland with Stoke eyeing qualification against Dynamo Kiev at The Britannia.
Jol, who played for the Dutch side from 1979 to 1982, will be without both Clint Dempsey, due to a thigh complaint, and Northern Irish defender Chris Baird, due to family reasons.
Steve Sidwell is a doubt for the game tonight after his hernia operation but Jol can call on Damien Duff, Orlando Sa and Stephen Kelly after they were made available after injury.
Jol’s side are three points off their opponents who have already qualified for the knockout stages:
“Twente have developed into a very good club. It is getting bigger and bigger and they are getting results,” said Jol.
Tony Pulis’ Stoke City play Dynamo Kiev at The Britannia in the return fixture in the group after defeating the Ukrainian side 1-0 in the first round of fixtures.
The side from the Potteries can secure qualification into the next round of the competition if they can get a point from the match.
Pulis will recall goalkeeper Asmir Begovic to the team and is able to select former Birmingham City forward Cameron Jerome following his one-match European ban, but Andy Wilkinson is out through knee and calf injuries.
“If we get through on Thursday, we’re qualified, so it’s a massive game. Kiev are unbeaten, they’re top of their league,” Pulis told BBC Sport.
“We know that it’s going to be a very tough game. They’ve got some exceptionally good players, very good technically. This will be as tough a game as Besiktas was here, and that was a tough game for us.”
By James Coggins
[Image courtesy of Илья Хохлов]
