Wilson desperate to stay fit

Wilson: To play in final would be a dream come true

Stoke defender Marc Wilson is hoping lightning does not strike twice ahead of Saturday's FA Cup final against Manchester City.

The full-back played throughout Portsmouth's run to last year's final and has repeated the feat this term after joining Stoke in August.

Wilson has a flawless FA Cup record having never been on the losing side in 14 games in the competition so far.

But he dismisses any notion of being a lucky charm having suffered a hamstring injury the week before last year's final, ruling him out of Chelsea's 1-0 win over Pompey.

Wilson came through Sunday's 3-1 win over Arsenal unscathed and the 23-year-old Irishman is now concerned only in staying fit rather than maintaining that personal record.

"A few people have said to me about it but I think, as a player, you don't really concentrate on that," he said. "You just try to take it game by game.

Nightmare

"It was a bit of a nightmare for me last season. I played every game to get to the final.

"As a player it's frustrating when you're not involved, but I had an injury so there was nothing I could do.

"I was gutted but there was no point in getting myself down about it."

Stoke have seen Danny Higginbotham and Ricardo Fuller ruled out through injury, though, while Matthew Etherington and Robert Huth are battling to be fit in time.

Wilson has been playing at left-back since Higginbotham damaged knee ligaments at the start of April and he is now keeping his fingers crossed he does not suffer another setback in this week's build-up.

"If it happens, it happens, you just have to get on with it," he said.

"Obviously it would be very disappointing for it to happen two years on the spin.

"It's been a dream come true to get to the FA Cup final again so, touch wood, I don't miss this one."