Midfielder Joey Barton, who has sat out the last two games with a thigh problem, is closest to making Saturday's Premier League clash at the Britannia Stadium, but Pardew will not risk him if he is not 100% fit. The 28-year-old former Manchester City player, who has been in the best from of his Magpies career to date this season, was a huge miss in the home fixtures against Bolton and Everton which yielded just a single point, and his manager's desperation to have him back is understandable. But he knows throwing Barton into the mix too early could aggravate his injury, and with loan signing Stephen Ireland yet to make his debut for the club after suffering a similar problem following his return to training, that is something he cannot really afford. However, Pardew faces perhaps a bigger challenge at left-back with first-choice Jose Enrique struggling with the hamstring strain he suffered against Everton and rated "very doubtful", while potential emergency replacement Jonas Gutierrez is similarly afflicted, if to a lesser degree. Pardew said: "Jose and Jonas, we have just got to see after training tomorrow, really. "You are pitching them in without training after 10 to 14 days in a Premier League game where it is almost like warfare at times at their place, so I will be careful what I do. "I would have to be 100% sure they are right. "We think Joey has got a good chance - he did the warm-up today. Jose looks very doubtful; Jonas did the warm-up today, but he looks a bit doubtful." Enrique pulled up shortly before half-time in the 2-1 defeat by Everton, prompting a reshuffle which initially saw specialist right-back Danny Simpson, who at the time was playing in midfield, drop in at left-back. However, Northern Irish youngster Shane Ferguson got his chance for the last 25 minutes and Pardew later admitted he had given him food for thought. But whether Ferguson, who has been put on a steak and milk diet by the club in an attempt to bulk him up, will be pitched into the physical battle his manager expects in the Potteries remains to be seen. Pardew said: "I don't know. My selection will be based around being strong enough to cope with what they [Stoke] do. "They don't really carve you open with inter-play, it is set-plays and second phases and aggression and forceful play, and you have got to be able to cope with that. "That's something I will think about when I select the team." Saturday's game will be one of just two Newcastle play in March because of their early exit from the FA Cup and the forthcoming break for international matches, and while that schedule has given their injured troops extra recovery time, Pardew admits it presents its own problems. He said: "It's not really an ideal situation for us. We ended up with a lot of injuries over the Christmas period when games were so congested - ridiculously so - and now we find ourselves with one game in the best part of a month. "It can't be right. For us, it is difficult because we are trying to keep the focus of the players. "We have this game, when we have had a two-week break leading into it, and we are going to have a two-week break coming out of it, so it's far from ideal. "But with the players I have and the experience I have, hopefully we will be able to cope with that."
