Ibrahim Afellay is set to provide Stoke City with a Christmas injury boost by making his long-awaited return to the squad for the trip to Liverpool.
Afellay, 30, has been out since suffering knee ligament damage in April and has missed a total of 23 matches.
However, the midfielder returned to training in October and played 63 minutes for Stoke's under-23 side last week, and now Mark Hughes will be able to call on him for the tough festive fixtures away at second-placed Liverpool on Dec. 27 and Premier League leaders Chelsea on Dec. 31.
"Ibi played last Friday and came through the game strongly, so he is now back in the squad and available for selection,'' Hughes said at his prematch news conference.