by Michael Baggaley
michael.baggaley@thesentinel.co.uk

STOKE captain Abdoulaye Faye says he is on his way back to his best – and determined to forget his FA Cup frustration at Burnley tomorrow.

The central defender completed his first 90 minutes for two months in the quarter-final tie at Chelsea on Sunday, but couldn’t prevent his team from losing 2-0.

The 32-year-old swept the board at Stoke’s player-of-the-year awards for last season, but has suffered a back problem and been sent off twice this term.

He admits he hasn’t reached the consistently high standards he set last season, but says he just needs to regain match fitness.

He added: “It is a long time since I played 90 minutes because of injuries. But now I am fit and I am happy that I’ve played the full game.

“Last year I was never injured. That’s just life, but I am getting better and better. With two more games I will be fine.”

Robert Huth was named captain for the Chelsea game because he was playing against his old club, but Faye is expected to wear the armband at Burnley as City return to Premier League action.

Stoke are still six short of the 40 points which Tony Pulis feels will secure safety.

But the manager has now set a more challenging more challenging 12-point target from the final 11 games to better last season’s total of 45.

Stoke’s game at Stamford Bridge was their biggest in the FA Cup since 1972, and arguably the biggest single game in any competition since the goalless draw at home to Leicester in May 2008 which clinched promotion to the Premier League.

However, Faye says neither he nor the players will be feeling sorry for themselves when they get to Turf Moor.

He said: “I am a professional. The objective of this football club is to stay in the Premier League. We need to look forward and prepare for the next game against Burnley, and be ready to play really well.

“The game against Burnley is more important than Chelsea. We need to win these games to stay in the Premier League.”

Faye is expected to partner Huth in central defence tomorrow, while new England recruit Ryan Shawcross serves the second of his three-game suspension.

The Stoke skipper says he is delighted Fabio Capello called the 22-year-old into his squad, even though Shawcross was an unused substitute in last week’s friendly against Egypt.

Shawcross has attributed much of his improvement over the last two seasons to playing regularly alongside Faye in central defence.

Faye added: “I am very proud of Ryan. I’ve asked him how much he is going to pay me.

“I told him I’m joking. I congratulated him because he has played so well. I think he has a chance to go to the World Cup.”