Who could forget Stoke's last trip to St. James' Park? It was December 2008 and the Potters were just a few months into their debut Premier League season and had been dreadful on the road, picking just a couple of points away from the Britannia Stadium up to that point. In the first half on a freezing day there were no signs that this would change, Michael Owen putting the Magpies two goals to the good, but Tony Pulis's men came back very strongly after the break, Mamady Sidibe pulling one back to warm up the travelling faithful, before former Newcastle man Abdoulaye Faye crashed home an equaliser in the 90th minute to earn his new employers a point. Most players are respectful after scoring against a former club. Abdoulaye? Not a bit of it. The new Stoke hero charged the length of the pitch with his finger to his lips, silencing the famously vocal Toon Army.
That season brought many great moments for Stoke fans, but few were as good at the trip to Tyneside, which was emblematic of the fighting spirit that took the Potters to mid-table and safety. If tomorrow's game at St. James' brings just half as much elation for the visitors it will still have been a very good day indeed. A lot of water has passed under the bridges of the Tyne since then though, with Newcastle relegated at the end of that season. They bounced straight back, and have started life back in the Premier League brightly, which should make for an interesting encounter with Pulis's improving side in front of the Sky cameras.
TEAM NEWS
Stoke's only injury concern is winger Jermaine Pennant, who picked up a hamstring problem after superbly providing the assist for Kenwyne Jones to score in last week's draw with West Ham. If he is passed fit, Pulis's team should be unchanged from the one that faced the Hammers, if he is unable to play, Rory Delap will most likely move to the right flank with Marc Wilson slotting into the centre of midfield. There is also some speculation that after a strong showing capped with a goal in the midweek League Cup win over Fulham, Danny Higginbotham could be selected ahead of Danny Collins at left back, a move that would win the approval of many Stoke fans.
The hosts will be without goalkeeper Steve Harper who badly damaged his shoulder in his side's victory at Everton last weekend, so Dutchman Tim Krul will deputise, making his first Premier League start. Newcastle boss Chris Hughton will also be without defenders Steven Taylor and Danny Simpson, who have shoulder and ankle injuries respectively, as well as young defensive midfielder Dan Gosling, whose Newcastle debut has been delayed by a knee problem.
Possible Stoke Side:
Sorensen
Huth Shawcross Faye Collins
Pennant Whitehead Delap Etherington
Jones Walters
Subs: Begovic, Wilkinson, Higginbotham, Wilson, Whelan, Fuller, Gudjohnsen
Possible Newcastle Side:
Krul
Perch Coloccini Williamson Enrique
Barton Tiote Nolan Routledge
Carroll Ben Arfa
Subs: Soderberg, Campbell, R. Taylor, Smith, Gutierrez, Lovenkrands, Ameobi
FORM
After losing their first three league games of the season, Stoke are now unbeaten in three, having enjoyed home wins over Aston Villa and Fulham and a draw with West Ham all in the space of eight days. Pulis will be keen to see his charges stretch this run tomorrow. Newcastle have had a mixed bag of results at the start of the season, winning two Premier League games, stunningly by six goals to nil at home to Villa, but equally impressively 1-0 at Everton, but also slipping to their first home defeat in sixteen months to unfancied Blackpool. Their haul of seven points from five games, which sees them ninth in the table, has to be seen as very decent on their return to the top flight. They will also be full of confidence after enjoying a superb 4-3 victory in a scintillating League Cup match at Chelsea in midweek. Last time the clubs were in the same division, two seasons ago, they neither could seize the initiative, playing out two draws, that memorable 2-2 game at St. James' Park and 1-1 later in the season in the Potteries. Newcastle have the historic edge though, claiming victory in 39 of the clubs' 79 meetings. Stoke have won just 21, while nineteen have been drawn.
PLAYER LINKS
Faye spent a single season on Tyneside, before leaving because he was just too hard. He did rack up 24 games for the club though, scoring once. He's the only current Stoke player to have played for the Magpies, but a huge number of his teammates, Danny Higginbotham, Danny Collins, Kenwyne Jones, Dean Whitehead, Rory Delap and Thomas Sorensen, have all turned out at some stage for their arch rivals Sunderland and are sure to face the vitriolic abuse of the home fans. Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi played six games for Stoke without scoring during an uninspiring loan spell in the spring of 2008, with the Potters later opting not to sign him in a ?3 million deal. After he scored twice against Chelsea he is pushing for a start tomorrow and could silence the fans who breathed a collective "meh" dur ing his time at Stoke. Meanwhile, Newcastle defender Mike Williamson, born and bred in Stoke, will be facing him hometown club. Other players to have represented both Stoke and Newcastle include Amdy Faye (Stoke 2008-10, Newcastle 2005-06) and Andy Griffin (Stoke 1996-98, 2006 (loan), 2007 (loan) & 2008-10, Newcastle 1998-2004).
THE REFEREE
The referee will be Mike Jones from Chester. The 42 year-old has been on the Premier League list since 2008 and is renowned for wrongly allowing Sunderland's goal against Liverpool to stand after it deflected in off a beachball last season. He last took charge of Stoke in the 3-1 FA Cup victory over York in January and Newcastle in their excellent 4-0 away league win at Ipswich a year ago tomorrow. He was also sent off Stoke's Ricardo Fuller for infamously slapping his own captain, Griffin, in a game at West Ham two years ago and, though he was right on that occasion, is sometimes seen as a card-happy referee.
THE WEATHER
Though the edict of "when in Rome" dictates that Stoke fans should go to tomorrow's game topless, I wouldn't recommend it. It looks set to be another cold day, though a dry one.
PREDICTION
Stoke are pointless on the road this season and Newcastle are on a big high after recent fine results so I unhappily foresee a fairly routine home win thanks to goals from Hatem Ben Arfa and Wayne Routledge. Newcastle United 2-0 Stoke City
Enjoy the game