(Reuters) - Stoke City defenders Erik Pieters and Bruno Martins Indi have returned to training after injury layoffs and the Dutch duo could feature in Monday's Premier League fixture against Manchester United, assistant coach Kevin Russell has said.
Centre back Martins Indi has been sidelined with a groin strain since early December, while left back Pieters was substituted in the second half of the league defeat to Newcastle United on Jan. 1 with a hamstring problem.
"Erik and Bruno both joined in training today for the first time which was a positive for us," Russell told a news conference on Thursday.
"Obviously, it is still too early to determine whether they will be available for Monday but the fact that they are back in training bodes well."
Stoke, who sacked manager Mark Hughes after the FA Cup defeat to Coventry City on Jan. 6, are 18th in the league on 20 points after winning just five of their 22 fixtures.
(Reporting by Aditi Prakash in Bengaluru)
