Stoke's Ryan Shawcross returns to the side after missing the previous two matches through suspension.Manager Tony Pulis may restore Matthew Etherington and Kenwyne Jones to the starting line-up after resting them on the bench against Liverpool. Sunderland have been rocked by the news that captain Lee Cattermole faces another month on the sidelines with a troublesome back problem.
But Sulley Muntari, who signed on loan from Inter Milan, is expected to play.
Stoke
Injured: Higginbotham (hamstring)
Sunderland
Injured: Campbell, Meyler, Turner & Zenden (all knee), Cattermole (back), Welbeck (hamstring)
MATCH PREVIEW
While Stoke are happily settled into their now familiar surroundings of mid-table respectability, manager Tony Pulis knows that in this season of shocks and upsets, a six-point cushion above the relegation zone can quickly be whittled away.
Us playing at the Britannia and us playing away from home is two completely different things, because our supporters are so good
Stoke manager Tony Pulis
Thankfully for the Potters, they can fall back on their home form where it is still very much a case of rule Britannia.
Their intimidating stadium has helped them garner two thirds of their 30 points this season. And with only two current top-half clubs left to visit them after Saturday, Pulis is understandably only looking upwards and is optimistic of achieving a first top-10 finish for the Potters since 1975.
Sunderland were given a reality check of their ambitions by a ruthless Chelsea side on Tuesday. Having conceded just eight goals at home before the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti's side, the four goals they let in were a swift reminder of the gap that still separates them from the top five.
They are currently in the middle of a tough sequence of fixtures that must give manager Steve Bruce sleepless nights. After Saturday's trip to Stoke they have to test themselves against fifth-placed Tottenham, then face back-to-back away games at Everton and Arsenal, before taking on Liverpool and Manchester City.
MATCH FACTS
Head-to-head
• The away side has not managed a goal in all five of their previous meetings in the Premier League.
• Stoke could name six former Sunderland stars in their squad: Danny Collins, Rory Delap, Danny Higginbotham, Kenwyne Jones, Thomas Sorensen and Dean Whitehead.
• This will be the 137th meeting between the sides. Sunderland have won 60 matches, Stoke 42 and there have been 34 draws.
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Stoke
• Stoke have not conceded more than two goals in a league game this season.
• They have scored 100 goals in 100 Premier League matches since they achieved promotion to the top flight in 2008.
• They have the worst first-half record in the division. They have led at the interval in only three of their 24 matches so far, and have scored just six goals in those opening 45 minutes.
Sunderland
• The Black Cats have kept 11 clean sheets in the league, which is the equal-most in the division with Manchester City and Chelsea.
• They are unbeaten in all six league matches in which Asamoah Gyan has scored, including when he got both goals in their 2-0 home win against Stoke in November.
• They have had only seven different goalscorers this season, the fewest in the top flight.
LEADING GOALSCORERS
Stoke
Jones: 7 goals (5 league); Huth: 5 goals (4 league)
Sunderland
Gyan: 8 goals (7 league); Welbeck: 6 goals (6 league)
NB. Bent scored 11 goals (8 league) for Sunderland before moving to Aston Villa.
MATCH OFFICIALS
Referee: Lee Probert
Assistant referees: Stephen Child & Paul Thompson
Fourth official: Peter Walton
LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS
Stoke (L0-2 v Liverpool, a): Begovic, Wilkinson, Faye (Collins 65), Huth, Higginbotham, Pennant, Wilson (Fuller 66), Diao (Delap 61), Whitehead, Carew, Walters. Subs not used: Sorensen, Whelan, Jones, Etherington.
Sunderland (L2-4 v Chelsea, h): Gordon, Onuoha (Cook 87), Bramble, Ferdinand, Bardsley, Elmohamady, Henderson, Sessegnon, Malbranque (Colback 81), Richardson, Gyan. Subs not used: Mignolet, Mensah, Angeleri, Riveros, Reed.
Source: BBC Sport
Source: BBC Sport