The Potters travel to The Stadium of Light on Sunday looking to extend their club record nine game unbeaten run from the start of the season.
Stoke finished last campaign in 13th place, whilst Sunderland finished the season well to end up 10th, with a point more than the Potters. City have had three wins and two draws away from home so far this season whereas Sunderland are in 16th position and have just two points and two goals from five games this season.
Stoke have already beaten West Brom, Hajduk Split and FC Thun on their travels this campaign but last term only beat West Brom, Blackburn and Newcastle away from home in the league and lost 13 times aswell with all those victories came before Christmas. Sunderland have so far lost 2-1 at home to Chelsea and 1-0 at home to Newcastle this season.
The sides have met 68 times in the North East, with 42 home wins, 8 Potters victories and 18 draws. The last meeting at Sunderland saw the hosts run out 2-0 winners. In the 137 matches between these sides, the Potters have won 43, the Black Cats 60 times and thirty four have been drawn.
The referee is Kevin Friend. He reffed Stoke twice last season a 2-0 home defeat to Fulham and a 3-2 defeat at Spurs. He refereed Sunderland three times last season, in their 2-1 away win against Bolton, 2-0 defeat at home to Liverpool and 1-0 loss at West Brom.
The Met Office report that there will be thunder and lightning storms, temperatures of 13 degrees celsius, good visibility but a weak 12mph wind.
Prediction: The Potters start solidly and stop the Mackems from playing before stepping it up after the break and bag the points after goals from Crouch and Shawcross