Eidur set for Villa involvement

Gudjohnsen: Missed pre-season

Stoke manager Tony Pulis plans to involve new signing Eidur Gudjohnsen in one way or another against Aston Villa.

The Iceland striker moved to the Britannia Stadium from Monaco on a one-year deal on summer transfer deadline day.

Gudjohnsen and Pulis have both previously confessed that, having missed pre-season, there is a lack of match fitness and that made the former Bolton, Chelsea, Barcelona and Tottenham player a doubt for the arrival of Villa on 13th September.

But Pulis has now indicated that he is set to involve the 31-year-old either in his starting XI or as a substitute against Villa, who could have appointed a new manager by kick-off.

"Although Eidur has a bit of catching up to do, he is a fantastic professional," the Stoke boss told his club's official website.

"You have to be to play at the highest level and enjoy the success he has achieved.

"It will depend on the amount of work we can do with him which will determine whether he starts the Villa match or whether we put him on the bench."