Stoke City: Pulis tips 'streaky' Fuller to break Premier League duck

STOKE striker Ricardo Fuller is limbering up for a crack at old club Portsmouth tomorrow (4pm) with boss Tony Pulis insisting: "He's about to hit the goal trail big time."

Pulis is confident Fuller will open his Premier League account sooner rather than later after being impressed with everything but his goal tally this season.

TAKING IT LYING DOWN: Striker Ricardo Fuller has been tipped by his manager Tony Pulis to hit the goal trail. So far this season Fuller has yet to hit the net. Picture: Alex Severn

"Ric really needs to get some goals," he acknowledged, "but he has played better this year than last year. In 12 games he's been outstanding for me.

"He's so streaky that he could get one goal, then go and get 10 in the next 12."

But Pulis admits that playing Fuller and Tuncay in tandem remains a long shot because they are so similar in style.

"I'm not sure I could play Ric and Tunny together, or James Beattie and Mama Sidibe together," he explained. "It's a case of finding the right balance."

Pulis will be forced into changes elsewhere in tomorrow's line-up because skipper Abdoulaye Faye serves a one-match ban, while midfielder Glenn Whelan is under treatment for a groin injury following his World Cup exertions with Ireland this week.

Robert Huth is favourite to fill in for Faye by switching from right-back to central defence, but Pulis is trying to keep everyone guessing by insisting: "We have good options because Danny Higginbotham or Leon Cort could come in at centre-half and I could keep Robert at right-back. For me, Robert has done brilliantly at right-back. He's a great lad and a great professional. He's in early every morning and gets on with his job. I've got a lot of time for him."

Cash-strapped Pompey arrive in the Potteries still bottom of the Premier League, but only three points adrift of the pack after finally ending that horrendous seven-match losing start to their campaign.

"Paul Hart has brought in some very good and some very experienced players who seem to be settling now, so there's no doubt it will be a tough game for us," Pulis cautioned.

"Aruna Dindane is an outstanding talent. It's only the fact he's had a bad injury that he's been allowed out on loan to join Portsmouth."