by Martin Spinks
martin.spinks@thesentinel.co.uk

TONY Pulis looks poised to offer Mama Sidibe a dramatic shortcut back into Stoke's Premier League plans after talking up his chances of featuring in tomorrow's derby with Wolves (3pm).

Sidibe has just 35 minutes of first-team action under his belt after seven months out with damaged knee ligaments, but Pulis saw enough in the 4-0 Carling Cup defeat at Portsmouth in midweek to consider him for some role in tomorrow's clash.

"He's a massive part of what we started three or four years ago," said Pulis, right, "and we need him back because he plays a very, very important part.

"People have short memories," he continued, "and Mama was most probably our best player in the Premier League before he got injured because defenders just couldn't handle him.

"He's got a point to prove – and I just love players with a point to prove.

"All the disappointment of the result (at Portsmouth) was washed away with seeing the kid back out there."

Sidibe will by vying with Tuncay for an active role from the bench after Pulis also re-iterated his belief that the Turkey international is almost fully acclimatised to life at Stoke.

"The performance he put in on Tuesday was first class," he stated. "He looked a lot stronger and his movement and team play was very good. That was as well as he's played and he could be a big, big asset for us.

"I would have no qualms playing either of them."

Pulis, whose one definite change will be keeper Thomas Sorensen replacing Steve Simonsen following his recovery from a stomach bug, is also calling on fans to prove a point to their Wolves brethren tomorrow.

"This is the first time we've played our rivals in the Premier League at the Britannia Stadium," he noted, "and this is a chance for our supporters to show that it's not just a good atmosphere here, but a fantastic atmosphere.

"Wolves will see a different Britannia Stadium compared to the past because of the noise our fans can generate.

"It will be rocking and rolling and this is a chance to show the Wolves people what this place is really all about."

Meanwhile, Pulis denied reports there had been an approach from Ipswich to take defenders Danny Higginbotham and Leon Cort on loan.

He also said he had not spoken to new Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan following reports the Scotsman has Stoke defender Andy Griffin written down on his hit-list, but he added: "Gordon has got my number."

* ROBERT Huth will be available for next week's trip to Hull after the FA ruled his three-match ban for hitting West Ham's Matthew Upson would include Tuesday's Carling Cup tie at Portsmouth, even though he was cup-tied.