Tuesday's 3-0 win over Wolves ensured any lingering doubts about Stoke's survival in the Premier League were banished but it came at a cost with influential winger Matthew Etherington tearing a hamstring. It was the second injury blow in a week for Pulis after striker Ricardo Fuller ruptured his Achilles in the draw with Aston Villa last weekend. Unlike the Jamaican, who is likely to miss the start of next season, Etherington has not definitely been ruled out of the FA Cup final but he faces a race against time he will not be the favourite to win. With little now to play for in the league, Pulis could be forgiven for being cautious in his team selections for the trip to Bloomfield Road and next weekend's clash with Arsenal, but the Potters boss does not believe that approach would be the right one. He said: "The player you're protecting could go out and train and go over on his ankle. I think you've just got to play it the way you normally play it and get on with it. "We've got two games to go. It's a three-game week for us, we've got a very tough game at Blackpool on Saturday and then we play Arsenal, which again will be a very tough game. "We'll rest and recover like we've done all through the season and we'll pick a team that will go to Blackpool and hopefully do the best they possibly can." Having put a major dent in Wolves' survival hopes this week, Stoke will aim to do the same against a Blackpool side currently outside the relegation zone only on goal difference. The Seasiders stopped a run of three successive defeats with a 1-1 draw against Newcastle last time out but that was only the second point they had picked up since a surprise 3-1 victory over Tottenham in February. Ian Holloway's side have shipped 70 goals, more than anyone else in the Premier League, but Pulis was impressed by what he saw against Newcastle and is expecting a difficult afternoon in Lancashire. He said: "I think Ian would have been disappointed with their performance against Wigan but against Newcastle they looked as though they'd got their fire in their belly back and they were really having a crack at it. "They were unfortunate not to win that game so we know it will be a tough game. They're fighting for their lives. "They've done fantastically well, Ian's done a great job there and this is the time of the season where he'll need his players to stand up. We'll go there and we'll know that we'll be in for a right battle." Dean Whitehead, who replaced Etherington against Wolves, will hope to be given the chance to stake his claim for a cup final spot while John Carew could be given his first start in almost two months.
