The Potters travel to Sunderland this Monday evening in a game that sees a side in good form against a side who are slipping down the league and are in need of a win.
Stoke sit 11th in the Premier League but are still only a couple of results away from the bottom three but are coming to the end of a tough set of fixtures. Sunderland are on a bad run of late, culminating in last weekends defeat to bottom placed Portsmouth in the cup.
Stoke have a better away record this season and beat Tottenham earlier this season whilst also getting numerous draws. Sunderland are a lot stronger at home than away but haven't won at home since November.
In the 66 matches between these sides at Sunderland, the Potters have won 8, the hosts 41 and seventeen have been drawn. Last season when the pair clashed at the Stadium of Light the game ended 2-0 to the Mackems. City last won at Sunderland eight games ago, in April 1994, and have three draws and four defeats since. Overall Sunderland have won 59 times to the Potters 42.
The referee is Howard Webb. He took charge as Stoke were beaten 2-0 by Manchester United earlier this season and also was ain charge of the goalless draw away at Blackburn. He hasn't refereed Sunderland yet this season, but did twice last season, a 2-0 home win over Middlesbrough and a 1-1 draw away at Newcastle.
The Met Office report that there will be light rain, frezzing temperatures of 0 degrees celsius, very good visibility and a 10mph wind.
Prediction: Stoke keep the game tight until the final fifteen minutes when the introduction of Tuncay causes problems and City snatch all three points thanks to a Huth header