Stoke Shaw to be in for Tough Afternoon

Ryan Shawcross leads Stoke to the Emirates this weekend for the first time since his challenge on Gunners midfielder Aaron Ramsey which left the Welshman with a broken leg last February.

Arsene Wenger has been a constant critic of both Stoke and Shawcross in particular but Stoke boss Tony Pulis says his defender has nothing to be ashamed of:  "I've seen the challenge over and over again, and I am convinced he didn't go in with any malice. In fact, 99.9 per cent of people who've seen that challenge would say he's gone in fair and square. He made an honest, committed challenge and has nothing to be worried or ashamed about.

We are very, very proud of Ryan at Stoke because he's been a big part of what we've tried to build here over the last four or five years. Personally, I don't give a damn what anybody else thinks. Our supporters love him and that's all that matters to me. He's very, very happy here and we will look after him,” he added.

There is certainly no love-loss between both managers with Stoke shocking Wenger’s men twice in the last two seasons with a Premier League victory and an FA Cup scalp against the Gunners. The way Stoke have gone about their business against Arsenal and roughed up their fluid passing game has angered Wenger but as he looks to end a barren spell of five-and-a half years without silverware, he has called on the home fans to show the Potters some respect: "What happened in the past, happened in the past. I don't think there's any need to add fuel on it, and just focus on playing as we do and respect our opponents."

Having lost top spot to Manchester United following their 1-0 defeat at Old Trafford, Arsenal has an early chance to return to the Premier League summit on Saturday.

With United not playing Chelsea until Sunday, victory for the Gunners against Stoke would put them a point clear at the top of the table. That would be the perfect tonic after a disappointing display against their title rivals on Monday night.

The Potters will be hoping to gain their first point at the Emirates in two attempts. Having seen Manchester United nullify Arsenal with a 4-5-1 line-up earlier this week, Pulis could consider leaving out Kenwyne Jones or Ricardo Fuller to accommodate another body in midfield.

Stoke have reason to believe they can upset the odds on Saturday after already seeing Arsenal beaten at home by newly-promoted West Brom and Newcastle. They have also needed late goals against West Ham and Fulham to secure wins. The Potters will need to make more of their chances though should they get anything from the game. Last week, Stoke failed to capitalise on numerous attempts at goal before succumbing to a surprise 1-0 home defeat to Blackpool.

And all eyes will be on the woodwork tomorrow as Stoke (12) and Arsenal (11) have struck bars and posts more than any other Premier League team this season.

On their day, the Gunners can be unplayable with their stylish football and impressive passing and movement but Stoke provide a tougher physical test for the home side and will look to break up the play whenever possible.

Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is still struggling with a hip injury so young Pole Wojciech Szczesny could continue in goal after an impressive display against Manchester United, while striker Nicklas Bendtner may not be involved as his partner is about to give birth to their first child.

Wenger will be boosted however by the availability of Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie who confirmed their return to fitness with second half appearances at Old Trafford. Abou Diaby is also back in training after an ankle injury but is unlikely to figure too early ahead of a busy festive period.

Stoke forward Jon Walters faces a late fitness test having missed training this week with flu and this is the only new injury worry to contend with for Tony Pulis after last week's loss to Blackpool.

DJ Decks Stoke

DJ Campbell scored the only goal of the game as Blackpool took yet another step to safety against a Stoke side previously unbeaten in their last five outings.

The game had been dubbed the ‘Stanley Matthews derby’ and marked a day of celebration to remember the great that Pele once described as “the man that taught the world to play football.”

Forget kiss-me-quick hats, stag does and the pleasure beach – Blackpool has a new attraction – the endeavour and never-say-die attitude of the team with the smallest budget in the league. Ian Holloway has masterminded a fearless approach which not only entertains but reaps rewards. Just like a bed and breakfast this time of year, the Seasiders have no vacancies in their squad either for passengers.

Despite only a 1-0 scoreline, both sides created a number of chances that could have seen a repeat of last years score in the third round of the Carling Cup which ended 4-3 to the Potters. DJ Campbell’s predatory strike secured the visitors fourth away of the season and despite Stoke having 19 attempts at goal, a dubious disallowed goal and three attempts off the woodwork, Blackpool’s slick passing game and ability to keep the ball so well in the middle of the field helped them secure another famous win.

Skipper Charlie Adam was influential for the visitors and showed why clubs are starting to sniff around for his services as we head into the January transfer window. Before the game, Stoke boss Tony Pulis had highlighted this game as one of his side’s toughest tests as his good friend Holloway brought his organised team to the Potteries attempting to emulate the achievements of Stoke and establish themselves in the Premier League whilst everyone around them has written them off.

Blackpool started the game very sluggishly considering they haven’t played for two weeks following their weather-enforced lay-off and Stoke’s forward line of Kenywne Jones and Ricardo Fuller caused early nervous moments for the visitors.

The two combined to fashion Stoke's first shot on goal as Jones cushioned down Rory Delap's long cross only to see his strike-partner's fierce half-volley blocked by Craig Cathcart.

Jones continued to threaten - with a header and scuffing a shot wide - and was left exasperated as Etherington failed to pick him out on a swift counter-attack.

Blackpool struggled to muster such attacking threat, but came closest to opening the scoring as Andy Wilkinson's last-ditch intervention proved just enough to deny Luke Varney before Campbell hooked a volley wide.

Neil Eardley's long-range shot, which endangered the top tier of the stand rather than Stoke's net, was more representative of their early efforts however as they struggled to secure the possession to feed their passing game.

But a tight offside decision went against the visitors as Campbell bore down on Asmir Begovic's goal from Varney's through-ball leaving the game evenly balanced at the interval.

It took Campbell just three minutes into the second half to give his side the lead. Luke Varney’s cutback was missed by Adam but Campbell, a key figure in Blackpool's promotion from the Championship, flicked out a foot ahead of Robert Huth to divert past Begovic.

Stoke fans know only too well that their side save their best till last with 17 of their 21 league goals coming in the second half. The crowd raised the volume hoping for a response and an equaliser to maintain their good run but their efforts were in vain as the visitors refused to be penned back.

Gary Taylor-Fletcher came close to doubling Blackpool’s advantage with a powerful far-post header which rattled the cross bar after excellent work from Adam to work the ball into the Stoke box.

Pulis began to search for a ‘Plan B’ with the game entering the final stages, bringing on Jon Walters and Tuncay, to try and regain the momentum and the changes seemed justified as Blackpool were immediately forced onto the back foot with an Etherington free-kick and Huth header causing problems in the Blackpool box.

The visitors however managed to hold on and unlike at the Reebok in their last outing, refused to loosen their grip on the three points. The result is a huge three points for newly promoted Blackpool and yet again proves this league is the most open and unpredictable Premier League for some time.

Stoke want more Wigan Woes

Match of the Day’s editorial team may already have this fixture at the DW stadium pencilled in for the last slot before the credits role, but two men that won’t care are Roberto Martinez and Tony Pulis.

While there are murmurs of European football in some quarters of the Potteries, Pulis has been quick to quash talk of Europe and is still focused solely on Premier League survival despite his side's surge into the top half of the table: "I've always said that it was a three-year plan coming into the Premier League.  If we maintain Premier League status for a third year, then we can really push on," he told BBC Radio Stoke.

The Potters head to Lancashire unbeaten in four games and eighth in the table and will be buoyed by last weekend’s last-gasp equaliser over Manchester City despite having dominated the whole first half.

Having ran out 3-0 winners at West Brom in their last game away from the Britannia, Stoke have every reason to be optimistic especially against a depleted Wigan side who have only found the net 11 times this season – the lowest in the Premier League. The Latics have lost the last two league games, both away from the DW however and were dumped out of the Carling Cup at Arsenal on Tuesday.

But as Roberto Martinez may have thought things couldn’t get any worse with his side languishing in the bottom three, striker Victor Moses could be out for up to three months after dislocating his shoulder during their defeat at Arsenal.

The striker landed awkwardly as he challenged Emmanuel Eboue and Theo Walcott for the ball and was expected to be out for four to six weeks. But further tests have shown he is likely to be sidelined until spring. Latics boss Martinez said: "It is a real blow. He has worked hard to earn his place in the side.

We have to prepare for a massive game on Saturday against Stoke and look for consistency in our league form," he added.

The last two meetings between the sides at Wigan have both ended all square. Last season saw Stoke’s Tuncay grab a deserved late equaliser after Paul Scharner had opening the scoring after just 14 minutes.

Saturday’s encounter will no doubt be a nip-and-tuck affair but history shows this fixture can provide goals. Nine years ago on a cold November night in Lancashire these two sides were battling for promotion back to the Old Division 1 when the Latics ran out emphatic 6-1 winners in front of just 7,000 fans.

And more recently in the reverse fixture last season at the Britannia in front of the Sky Sports cameras Wigan’s Maynor Figueroa scored from his own half in an end-to-end clash with finished 2-2.

Only Blackpool have a worse home record than Wigan this season but one stat that the home side will be keen to continue is that the Potters have not won a single game during December in the last two seasons in the top flight.

Wigan has problems up front ahead of the game with Hugo Rodallega suspended and Victor Moses out for a lengthy spell. In addition, Franco di Santo is rated 50-50, although Mauro Boselli should shake off a knee problem.

The visitors will be without midfielder Marc Wilson, who is serving a one-match ban while the in-form winger Jermaine Pennant is an early doubt. Pennant has a hamstring problem while defender Andy Wilkinson is struggling with his knee - both will have late fitness tests.

Potters up four the Challenge

Saturday’s fixture at the Britannia Stadium has all the ingredients for a classic – it could be billed as the best players versus the best team these days with Manchester City’s marquee signings and Stoke’s unrivalled team ethic and spirit. Unfortunately for the visitor’s cheque books don’t always win football games.

This fixture however has a lot of history for both clubs. These days the talk of the Potteries is about living the Premier League dream, whilst the streets of Manchester dare to dream of silverware but how fortunes have changed over the last decade. Barely 12 years ago, were the Gallagher brothers arriving by helicopter at the Britannia for a 1^st division clash that would see both sides relegated to the third tier of English football on a day of despair. Even more painful are the memories for the visitors who ran out 5-2 winners only for freak results elsewhere to send them down with the hosts.

Now following an upturn in fortunes the sides meet with Stoke chasing a fourth successive win in the top flight since 1981. With back-to-back clean sheets to their name, the Potters recent resurgence has seen them leapfrog from 17^th to eight in just 11 days.  The visitors however, will be buoyed by their demolition of Fulham last Sunday adding fuel to the fire of their former boss, Mark Hughes. Roberto Mancini will be under no illusions though that Stoke will not let his superstars have so much time on the ball to find that killer pass.

Despite comments about Mancini’s negative approach to games and the furore around the dressing room egos and ongoing spats, this weekend will be the first time the Italian can finally pick from a virtually full-strength squad this season. After spending a king's ransom over the summer, a combination of injuries and suspensions denied Mancini the chance to select a host of signings such as Mario Balotelli, Jerome Boateng and Aleksandar Kolarov, but they are now primed to help City's assault on a first league title since 1968. Whether they can actually win the title is a hotly disputed topic but with five England internationals sat on their bench last week there is no doubt they have more than enough resources at their disposal.

While Stoke will look to stifle City and be a totally different proposition, Serbian fullback Kolarov is confident City can match the home side’s physical prowess: "Stoke especially play hard and are a very physical team, but we are strong as well. We can match them and battle as well as play football.

I have seen a lot of their games on TV so I know how they play. They do very well at home, but I think we are a better than them," he added.

One man that will be the key for the visitors is lone striker Carlos Tevez. The skipper is evidently the one to watch as he drifts into pockets of space and then looks to catch defenders cold before unleashing the venomous shot he possesses. Pulis will have his players well drilled for Tevez’s movement and he will be keen to make sure they remained disciplined and not go chasing the Argentine when he drops deep or into wide areas.

Following clean sheets at home to Liverpool and away at West Brom though, Stoke’s back line will be full of confidence. There is certainly an air of assurance about goalkeeper Asmir Begovic since he has made the number one shirt his own, while the central defensive partnership of Ryan Shawcross and Robert Huth is proving a tough nut to crack. There seems to be excellent communication in recent weeks between the back four but Saturday’s game and the way City line up in their unorthodox 4-2-3-1 formation will provide Stoke will a tougher test as City seek to build on their four-goal demolition at Craven Cottage.

In-form captain Shawcross is confident his team-mates can continue their good run. Continuously overlooked by Fabio Capello, the 23-year-old is focused only on helping Stoke City earn another three valuable points this weekend: “People will expect them to come here and win the game. But we are on a fantastic run ourselves and playing very well.

We look dangerous in attack and have managed to stay solid at the back. We have the belief we can win this game,” he added.

Three visits to the Britannia in the past two seasons have yielded nothing more than a solitary point in the Premier League and an FA Cup exit for big spending City who will be aware of the hostile reception they will receive in the Potteries. Shawcross has called on Stoke’s vociferous fans to match the noise that helped them secure a famous win over Liverpool in their last home game: “Our fans rocked the place against Liverpool. Hopefully they will be equally as loud as it makes it such an intimidating place for the opposition.”

Tony Pulis has one major injury scare ahead of the clash after Jermaine Pennant limped off after just 10 minutes at the Hawthorns last Saturday. Scans reveal the injury is not as bad as first thought but he remains a doubt for the game. Pulis could opt to go narrower in midfield by playing Rory Delap slightly wider and bringing in another central midfielder, but it is more likely that either Tuncay or last weekend’s two goal hero Jon Walters will get the nod. Andy Wilkinson could also miss out due to a sore knee.

For the visitors, defender Pablo Zabaleta serves a one-match suspension for accumulating five bookings this season while forward Mario Balotelli returns after a ban, and Gareth Barry and Jerome Boateng are both hoping to overcome ankle complaints.

Pennant wants another win in the Bag

When West Brom returned to the Premier League as expected last May in their typical ‘Boing Boing’ fashion, the only people more happy than them were the fans of Stoke City.

Unfortunately for the Baggies history does not lie and with only one win in the last 25 league games against their Midlands rivals, Stoke’s famous chant of “We always beat West Brom” certainly has some justification. The Potters have won six of the last seven meetings.

Buoyed by back-to-back impressive home wins over Birmingham and Liverpool respectively, the Potters are looking for their third successive victory when they visit the Hawthorns. One positive for the Baggies ahead of the visit of their bogey side is that Stoke have not recorded three wins in a row since returning to the top flight in 2007.

On-loan Stoke winger Jermaine Pennant has rediscovered his form since joining from Real Zaragoza in August and he is keen for his new teammates to keep their unbeaten run going: “People have mentioned the record between the two sides but we won’t look too much in to that. For us it’s just about making sure we continue what we have been doing recently and then we are capable of picking up another three points.”

The former England U21 international has also reiterated his desire to make his move to the Potteries a permanent one: “I'm enjoying the way things have been going, living in the area, the team and everything. Tony Pulis has given me a platform to show what I can do; he does say his wingers work the hardest of any in the league and they do but if it helps the team that's what I'm here to do.”

Manager Tony Pulis will definitely want to hold on to Pennant should he continue to terrorise Premier League fullbacks.

One man that could be in for a busy afternoon dealing with Pennant’s crosses into the box is Baggies captain Scott Carson. The stopper was once a target for Stoke three seasons ago but as he lines up against them he believes his West Brom side can finally break their City hoodoo and get back to winning ways in front of their own fans: “It’s another big game on Saturday and another tough team to play against. It’s one point out of four games, which isn’t as well as we have been doing, but we have still got 16 points on the board and a lot of games to play starting Saturday.

We’re definitely not dropping our heads or getting too disappointed because there are a still a lot of games we think we can win,” he added.

Carson will also be keen to make amends for the last time the sides met before the baggies were relegated. The England keeper was at fault for Stoke’s opener in a 2-0 loss at the Hawthorns allowing Ricardo Fuller’s weak effeort to slip underneath him. He could have done little about the Potters’ second goal though, a thunderbolt of a half-volley from James Beattie sealed Stoke’s first ever away win in the premier league three seasons ago.

This season has seen West Brom’s notorious ‘yo-yo’ form continue with nobody at all able to second guess which Baggies side will turn up – the one that tamely lost 1-0 at Wigan last time out or the one that fought back in impressive style to claim a point at Old Trafford. The Baggies most notable performance though was certainly their 3-2 victory at the Emirates in September.

Despite succumbing to Manchester City and a Mario Balotelli brace in their last home game, the Baggies home form has been impressive this season under Roberto Di Matteo with three victories and two draws to their name before defeat to Man City.

Albion has always received accolades for the way they try to play football but in the past, certainly under Tony Mowbray they struggled to find an end product against Premier League defences. Often the Baggies have been mocked in the Potteries and referred to as ‘West Brazil’ due to their ineffective pretty football in contrast to Stoke’s direct approach.

Optimism will undoubtedly be high in the Stoke camp as they make the short journey to the West Midlands, but former Stoke boss Lou Macari who unsurprisingly never tasted defeat against West Brom in his six-year tenure has warned the players and fans alike not to get complacent: “Sometimes there is such a thing as lucky opposition and lucky grounds. But a word of warning - Albion do seem to be a bit more resilient these days and I saw that for myself when they came from 2-0 down to draw at Old Trafford.”

With only one win on the road so far this season, Stoke will be hoping to change that statistic on Saturday and claim the bragging rights until the sides meet again in February. But with both teams level on points, there is more than just local pride at stake.

Tony Pulis has a full squad to choose from and Stoke are expected to line-up unchanged from the side that beat Liverpool while the Baggies are expected to make one change at the back with Gonzalo Jara available after a three-game ban.

Danish Football - Dynamite or Deceptive?

The label “Danish Dynamite” once referred to the national football team in the mid 80’s. Coached by visionary German manager Sepp Piontek, Denmark was known for its adventurous and entertaining play. Self-deprecation was the norm however, and the nation reveled in their team’s role as underdogs.

After an explosive start this Superliga season for champions FC Copenhagen, it seems they have reignited that “Dynamite” label both at home and across Europe. Coasting to the league title at a canter and exceeding everybody’s expectations on their return to the Champions League fold, the Lions are putting Danish football on the map.

There is no doubting FC Copenhagen’s significant superiority at home and it is certainly a case of ‘when’ rather than ‘if’ they claim their ninth league title. They are also perfectly poised to become the first Danish team to advance from the group stages of the Champions League, eclipsing their own Champions League debut in 2006 as well as the exploits of Bruce Rioch’s Aalborg in 2008 who provided some excellent performances against bigger European opposition in Manchester United, Celtic and Villareal.

The Superliga is now ranked 12^th by European football authority UEFA, its highest ever position which also means two Danish clubs will qualify for the Champions League qualifying stages. Having not even turned professional until 1978, this seemed a great feat for Danish football at the start of this season but Copenhagen’s invincible start could just be covering over the cracks of an otherwise poor league standard. There is no escaping that if this trend continues of Copenhagen flying the flag alone, then the leagues stature will dramatically fall reducing European qualifying places as well as ranking points. Crisis club Brondby and OB’s woeful performances in the Europa League have not helped matters.

Despite being 16 league matches unbeaten, the Lions’ new up-and-coming starlet Kenneth Zohore who is tipped to become a superstar, believes the league still has a strong group of teams despite FC Copenhagen’s early dominance. “This league is tough and there are three or four very good sides capable of putting a lot of good results together. We must stay focussed,” he told The Copenhagen Post.

At just 16, Zohore is the youngest debutant and goalscorer ever in the Superliga. The striker born in Norrebro could not believe his luck either when manager Ståle Solbakken brought him on for the last 20 minutes in the Champions League game at Barcelona. With excitement spread across his face he said: “It was a dream come true. The best day of my life but I have to take every day as it comes and enjoy myself. I’m still only 16.”

It is young, up and coming players like Zohore that can improve the league as a whole. In 2004 when FC Midtjylland set up the first football academy of its kind in Denmark, this has helped the fortunes as well as finances of the club, thus strengthening the league’s standard. Inevitably the most stand-out youngsters will be snapped up by bigger European clubs but it provides a stable financial situation for Midtjylland especially. The academy is based on that of FC Nantes from France who nurtured stars such as Marcel Desailly and Didier Deschamps. The most notable star to pass through the academy so far is Simon Kjaer who netted the club €4million when sold to Italian club, Palermo.

One man that left these shores for elite European football was one of the finest passers in the game, Jan Molby. The former Kolding captain moved to Ajax before heading to Liverpool in the English top flight in 1984. Despite Molby getting his lucrative move he still respects the Danish league: “Not all young [Danish] players get that big move to one of Europe’s top leagues. You have to remember it’s an honour to play as a footballer in your own country. An FCK and Brondby game for instance is something very special.”

“In terms of the current state of the league, obviously what Copenhagen is doing in Europe is fantastic but domestically I think the gap will close. Experience will improve the teams chasing them,” he added.

Jesper Hansen has been a member of first division club, Hvidovre IF’s fan club for over 30 years and remembers the days when arguably the world’s greatest ever goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel started out at his club. He suggests to the Copenhagen Post that the standard of Danish football is often a misconstrued conception: “You look at Lyngby this season in 5^th after just being promoted. Silkeborg were the same last year. The standard is not very high at all.

FCK are doing great in Europe but they have nothing to lose. It’s so much easier playing without fear and expectation. It’s the same as Denmark in 1992,” he added.

It seems the jury is out on how high the standard of the Danish league actually is, amidst the entire furore surrounding the current form of runaway leaders FC Copenhagen. While UEFA have rewarded the country with extra incentives, let’s wait to see if the teams bringing up the rear can close the gap and justify the highest current ranking in history.

Chairman Fuller praise ahead of Liverpool Clash

Stoke chairman Peter Coates has labelled striker Ricardo Fuller as one of the best strikers to have ever donned the red and white stripes of Stoke City. Speaking after the Jamaican’s sublime solo effort against Birmingham on Tuesday, Coates said: “Ricardo's goal against Birmingham was amazing. He is one of the best players ever to play for Stoke City. I absolutely believe that.

He is strong, quick and very few players can control a ball at pace like he can. He's a very special player,” he added.

Having watched his beloved club since the 1940’s seeing goalscoring heroes like Freddie Steele and John Ritchie shows how high Coates rates the Stoke star. Within a blink of an eye, Fuller can produce a magical moment that can turn a game on its head, which he has shown throughout his spell in the Potteries since joining from Southampton in 2006. Arguably his £500,000 transfer fee could be the shrewdest bit of business in the club’s history.

Fuller spearheaded Stoke’s promotion back to the Holy Grail of English football and now that the Potters have been propelled into the limelight, Coates wants the rest of the football world to know what a prized asset the 31-year-old is: "He is appreciated here, but I'm not sure the outside world has appreciated just how good he is.

If you look at our outstanding players over the years, he is up there in that company. And he's achieved things here while the club has enjoyed one of its best periods.”

Tuesday’s goal was the Jamaican’s 100^th goal in British football and he will be hoping to add to that tally on Saturday evening against a Liverpool side looking to turn the corner on their horrific start to the season.

The Sky sports cameras return to the Britannia Stadium, the second time in the space of five days with all eyes on the visitors and striker Fernando Torres who looks like he could be hitting the sort of form that has already earned him legendary status on Merseyside. Torres has scored three in his last two games and will be hoping to add to his brace against Chelsea and opener against Wigan on Wednesday.

Liverpool have been under the spotlight for all the wrong reasons so far this season but now they have new owners and a more stable foundation to build, Roy Hodgson will be aiming to continue their good run of late and at least climb into the Europa League places. Hodgson’s baptism of fire at Anfield coincided with the club’s worst start to a season in their history but the 2-0 victory against runaway leaders Chelsea last weekend has lifted a huge weight from his shoulders and restored a lot of pride back to England’s most successful club. His demeanour seems a lot more relaxed than from just a few weeks ago with the pressure of managing such a big club looking like it was taking his toll on last seasons Manager-of-the-year.

In two previous league meetings at Stoke, both games have ended all square. Last season’s encounter finished 1-1, courtesy of a last minute equaliser by Stoke’s Robert Huth. The German was also on the scores sheet as stand-in skipper against Birmingham during the week, his second goal of the campaign. Interestingly three of the four league meetings have seen the sides share the spoils since Stoke returned to the top flight.

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has called on the vociferous home fans to help his team earn their first league victory over the Reds since 1984: “Our supporters are magnificent. We know that the Liverpool match will be an incredibly difficult one for us, we will need another big performance from them on Saturday.”

Pulis has hinted that Ricardo Fuller may need a rest following Tuesday’s heroics but the Jamaican is still expected to start with Tuncay on the bench. Should Fuller show signs of fatigue after his layoff with a shoulder injury, the Turk will be on hand to try to cause problems for Liverpool’s backline. The Potters’ only change from Tuesday’s much needed win should be captain Ryan Shawcross returning at the heart of the defence replacing Danny Higginbotham. The Stoke boss has a full bill of health ahead of this mouth watering clash as they look for back-to-back home wins following four consecutive defeats prior.

After a reality check at Wigan on Wednesday night, Hodgson will pick his players up and try to emulate the performance against Chelsea, a result which saw them win three league games in a row. Wednesday’s game at the DW Stadium saw the Reds fortunate to leave with a point in the end as they held on against a determined Wigan side, a game which Tony Pulis will have monitored carefully as he looks to halt Liverpool’s recent resurgence.

Pulis keen to avoid more Britannia Blues

Stoke boss Tony Pulis might be starting to sound like a broken record with his constant public outbursts of “criminal refereeing decisions” against his side but the Welshman does have a point.

Video evidence certainly reiterates Pulis’ argument that Stoke could easily be better placed than they are, languishing in 17th.

"I've managed nearly 800 games and I've never had a run where we've had six major decisions in 11 games that have gone against me or the football club. The massive disappointment for me is that we've played better this year than last year and the previous year, and if the big decisions weren't going against us we'd be on 15, 16, 17 points, instead of 10.

Every game is really difficult because we're not just playing against the opposition. For a league of this stature, the referees should be making better decisions," he added.

The Sky Sports cameras will be in attendance this Tuesday as Birmingham visit the Britannia for this midlands derby with both teams in need of a vital victory. One man’s performance that will be under heavy scrutiny particularly from the Stoke camp will be match referee Mark Clattenburg with Tony Pulis hoping he doesn’t follow his predecessors in crossing himself of his Christmas card list.

Although all the talk has been about poor officiating in the build up to this fixture, Pulis will be aware that Stoke have not been at their best either in previous weeks with their league position telling a sombre story. The Potters have lost four straight league games with a Carling Cup exit also sandwiched in between, their worst run in the top flight since relegation in 1985.

The tried and trusted “Fortress Britannia” has been a hostile cauldron for visiting teams since Stoke returned to the Premier League but one team yet to taste defeat there since its opening in 1997 is Tuesday’s visitors Birmingham City. After back-to-back defeats on the road, Stoke should be looking forward to returning home but in fact Birmingham has won three of their last four league and cup games at Stoke, keeping a clean sheet in each match. Stoke’s first ever season at their new home saw the Blues run out 7-0 winners in the old Division One; a day that will never be forgotten by both sets of supporters for different reasons.

Last seasons fixture over the Christmas period saw Birmingham snatch a 1-0 victory thanks to Cameron Jerome in a less than exciting encounter. Again the signs look ominous for a low scoring game as the Blues have only scored six times in their last eight league matches and the Potters failing to score in their last two outings.

Stoke’s dip in form has coincided with record signing, Kenwyne Jones’ drought in front of goal with the Trinidadian failing to score in his last five games. Interestingly though, the striker came close to joining Birmingham last January, when the Blues had a big-money bid for him rejected by Sunderland. Blues boss Alex McLeish instead bolstered his attacking options by signing Serbian target man Nikola Zigic, who was also rumoured to be linked with a move to Stoke.

Keen to impress will be Blues keeper Ben Foster making a return to his former club. Foster has impressed between the posts following his summer move from Manchester United replacing his England team-mate and last season’s player-of-the-year Joe Hart. Despite never playing a game for the Potters, Foster will be given a warm reception from the club that awarded him his first professional contract.

The Blues stopper should be prepared for an aerial bombardment with Pulis hinting he is likely to make changes to his wounded troops: “We'll shake it up a bit. There's a few broken hearts, but not too many injuries.”

This could mean a return for Rory Delap in midfield with Stoke resorting back to basics and the notorious long throws as they try to turn their fortunes around. One man also eager to start will be former Blues winger Jermaine Pennant, an obvious attacking threat for Stoke on home soil.

One enforced change ahead of the game is captain Ryan Shawcross, who serves a one-game ban following his late sending off at Sunderland. This will mean Robert Huth will revert back into the middle of the defence with Andy Wilkinson coming into an otherwise unchanged back four.

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is likely to abandon the 4-3-1-2 formation he used for Saturday's draw with West Ham. McLeish could recall top scorer Craig Gardner and Jean Beausejour, both of whom impressed as substitutes against the Hammers, helping salvage a 2-2 draw after trailing 2-0 at St. Andrews.

Old Boys aim to haunt Black Cats

Six former Sunderland players could line up for Stoke this weekend against their former club with a point to prove. The Potters are probably not the first team that the Sunderland faithful would want to see after last weekend’s humiliating and embarrassing 5-1 thumping at the hands of bitter rivals Newcastle.

Still smarting from the Tyne and Wear derby, Thomas Sorensen, Rory Delap, Danny Collins, Danny Higginbotham, Dean Whitehead and summer signing Kenwyne Jones return to Wearside attempting to inflict more misery on their former employers.

Whitehead was a very popular figure during his time at the Stadium of Light making almost 200 appearances for the club in his five-year spell and is wary of a Sunderland backlash: “They will be reeling after what happened last weekend and you can bet your life they will be fired up for this one,” said the 28-year-old.

“It is dangerous for us. Their pride has been hurt and so they will have extra fire in their bellies to put things right, but we have to not worry about them and worry about ourselves and do things that we have not been doing recently,” he added.

The Potters are currently on a run of three straight losses in the Premier League but Whitehead feels his side are not getting the rub of the green especially after some very dubious refereeing decisions following comments made my Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy who publicly criticised Stoke’s physical style of play: "I think the comments Danny Murphy made have highlighted us as a club. It's put us in the spotlight and you get labelled. It's plain to see we aren't getting the decisions. You just hope these things even out.”

Stoke have dragged themselves to the foot of the table but having hit the woodwork more times than any other team in the Premier League this season, Tony Pulis will know that there is no need to panic and make drastic changes to his side’s approach. Whitehead added:  "In none of the games we've lost have we been out-played.”

At times though, Stoke have been their own worst enemy falling behind too often in games and this weekend especially, Pulis will know that Stoke need to come out firing to keep the home fans quiet and nervous on the back of last weekend’s horror show.

The Stoke trio of Ricardo Fuller, Salif Diao and ex-Mackem Rory Delap are to undergo fitness tests before the long trip north but goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen should return between the posts after recovering in time from his elbow injury.

Sorensen could be in for a busy afternoon on his return to Sunderland with Steve Bruce confirming Ballon d’Or nominee and record signing; Asamoah Gyan will make his first start of the season partnering Darren Bent in attack for the Black Cats. Gyan’s nomination is perhaps more a token gesture from FIFA to thank the African continent for the hosting of the World Cup but having splashed out £13 million for the Ghanaian, Bruce will be hoping he repays the faith shown in him.

“He has waited patiently for his chance and now is the right time. He is a big player. We've let him gently bed in and get used to being here, and it's about time we unleashed him and see what he's got,” said Bruce.

Bruce, who has been heavily criticised for his team selection at St James's Park, despite his side's seven game unbeaten run leading up the derby, is expected to make other changes to his side.

Scotland Number One Craig Gordon is certain to come in for young Belgian keeper Simon Mignolet, as well as former Manchester United midfielder Kieran Richardson, now the club's first-choice left-back. Ghana captain John Mensah is also favourite to replace the suspended Titus Bramble in defence following his sending off at Newcastle.

Stoke’s record signing Kenwyne Jones returns to Sunderland for the first time since his summer move to the Potteries and should expect a warm welcome back on Wearside. However the Trinidad and Tobago star will be hungry to add to his goal tally of five goals in 11 games. His performance will no doubt come under scrutiny with Bruce deeming Jones surplus to requirements due to his inconsistency. Instead, Bruce opted to splash out on Gyan after impressing for Rennes in France and at the World Cup helping Ghana reach the quarter-finals.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn will be hoping his manager made the right decision as he prepares to unleash Gyan on Saturday as he looks for his first home goal to add to his strike at Wigan on his debut.

Quinn has challenged the players to respond from their derby drubbing against Stoke on Saturday and has also issued an apology to the fans. As a former player himself, he will know how much each individual has been feeling in the aftermath of Sunday’s defeat: “While everybody here is suffering, the players' hurt must be galvanised into a big performance on Saturday. We may have to spend a long time apologising but this entire football club knows that it owes its people right now and, for me, that is the priority."

This week marks a special milestone for Tony Pulis who celebrated his eight year anniversary since he was first appointed the manager of Stoke City. It has been a rollercoaster ride for the Welshman enduing some low points and pantomime moments along the way but he has rode the challenge and remains a pivotal part in the current and future success of the club. Heading to the Stadium of Light for a Premier League seems a long way from his first game with the Potters languishing near the bottom of the old Division One with fans and pundits alike wondering “Who is that guy in the baseball cap?”

Swedes putt Danes to shame on the fairway!

Europe triumphed in golf’s Ryder Cup but Denmark again missed the cut. As the Swedes continue to take charge of the fairways, it seems the Danes are well and truly in the rough. This Scandinavian rivalry has always been competitive but in most mainstream sports, the two countries seem on a level playing field and are usually evenly matched. So why it is that Sweden is in total control on the golf course?

The Ryder Cup, one of the last great sporting events founded on prestige rather than prize money, was first contested in 1927. The origin of the idea was to stage international matches between the best American professionals and those of Great Britain. The cup changed its format in 1979 choosing to select from the whole of continental Europe rather than just Britain marking a new chapter in the history of the biennial competition.  Up until 2008, Thomas Bjorn had remained the only Dane to have represented Europe. He did so on two occasions at Valderrama in 1997 and the Belfry in 2002. He was on the winning side both times.

The 2008 Ryder Cup at Valhalla saw only the second ever Dane to compete. Even so, debutant Søren Hansen was still outnumbered by his Swedish counterparts in the 12 man team with Henrik Stensson and Robert Karlsson also present.

Bjorn was also one of four vice-captains to Scotland’s Colin Montgomerie in Europe’s 2010 triumph at Celtic Manor in October of this year. Europe regained the cup with one Scandinavian in Europe’s line-up this time; Sweden’s Peter Hanson, who has followed in the footsteps of many Swedes in the past who have either qualified automatically through order of merit or been selected by invitation to join the European team.

Demark is certainly not the first place you would think of when thinking ‘golf’ and the sport has failed to really take off on an elite level in the same way it has in Sweden despite the first course being built back in 1898.   

With so much land at their disposal, the popularity of golf in Sweden has risen dramatically in the last two decades with 450 of the 31,000 golf courses across the world located there. The fact that Denmark could fit into neighbouring Sweden ten times over is certainly one factor why emerging Danish talent is scarcer.

According to statistics, around six percent of Sweden’s nine million population takes to the fairway on a regular basis. Due to this remarkable figure, the country has enjoyed a 72 percent increase in the number of golf courses built during the 1990’s. In fact, demand for golf club places outstrips supply and therefore it is expected that a substantial number of new courses will be built over the next few years. The Swedish Golf Federation (Svenska Golfförbundet) also establishes a number of programs to recruit and assist young players which is something Denmark should try and consider.

In addition to Thomas Bjorn, both Andreas Hansen and Sore Held are making a mark in Denmark with high profile Championship wins to their names. The same can be said for Søren Hansen and Steen Tinning on the European Tour with Denmark showing signs of emerging talent in recent years raising the profile of golf in Denmark and helping Denmark become better recognized as a golfing destination. There is obviously still a long way to go to emulate their neighbours, but the foundations for future improvements is evident.

There is definite potential as Denmark's Soren Kjeldsen made a strong start in California as he moved to the top of the leaderboard on the first morning of the 110th US Open this year. Consistency is the defining factor in golf and the Danes have failed to show this in the past despite displaying some excellent promise. Kjeldsen is the highest ranked Dane in the world, currently at 85 (27 on the European tour).

With talent emerging and signs certainly improving that golf in Denmark could change from a popular activity to a major sport, the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland could well see the emergence of a third Danish representative following in the footsteps of Bjorn and Hansen. Watch this space.....

Potters aim to avoid Mersey Misery

Following two back-to-back defeats and an extra-time exit from the Carling Cup in midweek, the Potters faithful have reason to be fearful ahead of Saturday’s clash at Goodison Park.

The Toffees look to be over their customary slow start and will be buoyed by last weekends draw at White Hart Lane which followed an impressive 2-0 victory in the Merseyside derby, a week prior, ending a run of three consecutive defeats against their rivals.

Having been dumped out of the Carling Cup in extra-time at West Ham, the visitors may have few jaded legs in their ranks and Stoke boss, Tony Pulis will know his side cannot afford to be slow out of the blocks as Everton look to continue their recent run of results and climb the table to more familiar territory. The Potters have gone behind in too many games this season but have shown great character and have the best record in the league for points gained after conceding first but Stoke’s supremo will know only too well, that his side must be switched on from the first whistle and not be forced to claw back a deficit again. Interestingly, to only count the results from the second half of games this season would see the Potters top of the Premier League.

Toffees captain Phil Neville is aware of Stoke’s threat but is now ready to lead Everton up the table: “I think now we're getting rewarded for our effort and we're really looking forward to the next month, to really attack and climb up the league. Stoke are a difficult side to play against home or away. So we're going to have to be at our best defensively to keep them out.”

Pulis opted to make six changes to his line-up at Upton Park on Wednesday from the side beaten on home soil by a late Manchester United goal and the Welshman is likely to welcome back those that missed out as Stoke search for more goals. Despite almost salvaging a point against the Red Devils after Tuncay fired home a magnificent curling strike, the Turk is expected to return to the bench as well as Ricardo Fuller who has missed the last two games through injury. Eidur Gudjohnsen could be the man to miss out on a place in the squad as he looks a shadow of his former self and is still struggling to regain fitness and come to terms with the pace of the Premier League again.

Stoke have been creating chances in front of goal but failing to put them away and kill games off. The fans are well aware that they should be in the hat for the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup having gone ahead at Upton Park and continued to create openings to have the Hammers well out-of-sight before half-time but Stoke failed to capitalise on their chances.

One man that Pulis will be glad to see return is midfielder Dean Whitehead who missed the defeat to Sir Alex’s side after serving a one match suspension. Whitehead’s energy and non-stop pressing will be a key factor if Stoke are to get any change from a rejuvenated Everton side. The Stoke boss will be hoping Whitehead can minimise the threat of Tim Cahill supporting the Toffees front line.

Last season was a very close encounter, much to the surprise of some pundits as Stoke battled to a well deserved 1-1 draw. Things could have been even better for the visitors after Robert Huth had headed the Potters in the lead after the break. Unfortunately, Stoke failed to regroup from the restart and within seconds Leon Osman smashed a great strike past the helpless Sorensen in the Stoke goal. There is no chance of a repeat of this as Osman continues his layoff with an ankle injury suffered against Liverpool. Jack Rodwell and Marouane Fellaini remain sidelined too adding to Moyes’ injury woes.

Although David Moyes will be pleased with his side’s point at Tottenham last weekend despite taking the lead, the Scot will be hopeful that his usually solid goalkeeper Tim Howard does not make the same mistake, flapping at a cross that gifted Spurs their equaliser.

Stoke’s height and power will certainly ensure a tough afternoon for Howard particularly from set-pieces as they try to expose the American once again. Pulis will have his players well drilled and organised to bombard Howard in the early stages and test his confidence.

The home side will be boosted with the news that Mikel Arteta seems to be winning his battle to be fit for the clash. The Spaniard is instrumental to their play and forges a great partnership with Cahill causing havoc in and around the opposition’s box. The performances of these two and the way Stoke deal with their threat could well be the determining factor in who takes the points on Merseyside with both sides only separated by goal difference at the moment with ten points each.

Pulis Calls for a United Effort

Stoke boss Tony Pulis has every right to be optimistic ahead of the visit of the three-time European champions. With Manchester United looking vulnerable of late and the Wayne Rooney saga overshadowing the club, the Welshman is right to sense that his side could break their United hoodoo this weekend.

As the Potters look to add fuel to the fires of disharmony at Old Trafford, Pulis is calling on his team to show their unity and togetherness that has seen them mix it with the best on home soil:  “We need a big performance from the players and supporters to get anything from the game. Our biggest strength in this league has been that this club is united and Sunday a big performance is needed from everybody.”

Whilst there is probably never a good time to play United, who are still unbeaten this season despite much hype concerning their most prized asset and the American owners of the club, Stoke should see this as their best chance to catch United cold who looked very subdued in their laboured 1-0 win over Champions League debutants, Bursaspor during the week.

Since returning to the top flight, in the four previous meetings Stoke have yet to score. Not only have they failed to score, United’s backline has found themselves almost redundant in the four clashes with City failing to create any clear chances. The omens don’t look good for the home side, having conceding twelve goals against the Red Devils in the four meetings and have not beaten United in a competitive game since City recorded a memorable 2-1 League Cup victory back in 1993 at their previous home, the Victoria Ground.

The Sky cameras return to the Britannia Stadium for the third time this season and Stoke chairman Peter Coates is keen to make amends for last years 2-0 defeat that saw the Potters completely outclassed: “I thought it was one of our poorest performances. I don't know what happened. But having said that, Manchester United played really well.

I remember Sir Alex being interviewed later in the season after winning another important game. The interviewer suggested he'd just seen United's best game of the season, but the manager corrected him and said the win at Stoke was the best they had played. We were outplayed and it was nothing like the previous season here. We lost 1-0, but I thought we were terrific,” he added.

Coates is no stranger to adversity and the hierarchy of his club being questioned so he will be aware of how Sir Alex and the rest of his squad will be feeling but his only concern is that of Stoke City: “It's not a case of having sympathy with them because of what's happened. This is a tough business. Sport is unpredictable; things don't always go to plan for one reason and another.”

Stoke will be hoping to put last week’s heartache behind them after succumbing to a last minute defeat at Bolton after dominating for large parts of the game. Pulis opted for an adventurous line-up at the Reebok Stadium and it almost paid dividends but he is likely to revert to a more cautious approach to stop the attacking threat of United. Although his approach of setting out to stifle and contain against the top teams has not reaped many rewards, his mindset is still unlikely to change.

With United having drawn their last four on the road, Ferguson will be keen to get back to winning ways especially after last weeks second half horror show at home to newly promoted West Brom. One man keen to impress will be the returning Edwin Van der Sar in between the posts whose howler gifted the Baggies their equaliser.

There is no doubting that despite being low on confidence, United have the fire power and ability to win comfortably, but with Rooney casting doubts over the ability of United to continue to win the game’s biggest prizes as they chase runaway leaders Chelsea, Stoke will see this as a real opportunity to add to the tale of discontent at Old Trafford.

Potters aim for three on the Trott

It seems many moons ago that Stoke were travelling to the Reebok Stadium in their Premier League baptism of fire. Just two seasons ago, the Potters were welcomed in no uncertain terms to the holy grail of English football with a crushing defeat that led to one bookmaker (Paddy Power) paying out on Stoke to be relegated, just one game into the season.

The unforgiving nature of the Premier League saw Stoke trailing 3-0 at half-time thanks to a combination of inexperience, an opening goal that bewildered not only the scorer Gretar Steinsson but the 22,000 in attendance and also the uncompromising aerial bombardment towards the ever reliable Kevin Davies, better known now as England’s new ‘plan B’.

However, the Potters have now come to terms with the vigour of England’s top-flight and are no longer heading into the unknown. Last season saw Stoke almost exact their revenge at the Reebok after the forgotten man, Dave Kitson expertly curled a second half strike past Jussi Jaaskelainen which looked to have earned the visitors all three points. It took until the final minute and a careless, unnecessary challenge from Danny Collins on Sam Ricketts to allow Matt Taylor to confidently salvage a share of the spoils from the penalty spot.

Both sides will be pleased with their point tallies so far and would definitely have been unhappy with the timing of the international break. The Potters had recorded two straight league victories and are unbeaten in five games having moved into the European places following a poor start to the campaign, while the home side have only lost once this season. Despite drawing the last three, Owen Coyle’s side can take many positives with two away draws in the Midlands at Aston Villa and West Brom with a thrilling 2-2 draw at home to Man United sandwiched in between. The Trotters were unlucky not to beat United after creating some excellent openings to win the match.

Stoke will be roared by their largest away following for almost two years with over 4000 tickets snapped up. As Tony Pulis’ side look to build on their recent results, the travelling fans will be hoping for a repeat of the second half of their last away fixture at Newcastle which saw Stoke throw caution to wind and adopt a more adventurous style in turning round a 1-0 deficit to win on Tyneside. The Potters will certainly fancy their chances in Lancashire, but Bolton will prove a tough test as they look to return to winning ways and leapfrog Stoke in the table.

The battle between both captains is sure to be a feisty affair on the field. Kevin Davies will be hungry to follow up his lively cameo role on his England debut during the week and inflict more painful memories on Stoke’s Ryan Shawcross who will remember only too well the torrid time the 33-year old gave him two seasons ago. Shawcross will be hoping to impress as he himself hopes for the call from Capello and a solid display against England’s oldest debutant for 60 years can only help his case. Equally as exciting will be the battle between Stoke’s in-form striker Kenywne Jones and Gary Cahill, who was an unused substitute at Wembley, missing out to Joleon Lescott at the heart of England’s defence.

Both sides have players returning from international duty and it was not such a good week for a lot of the players. Davies’ strike partner Johan Elmander was in Amsterdam for Sweden’s 4-1 defeat to Holland, while keeper Jaaskelainen was denied a point on his return to the Finnish national team following a last minute goal from Hungary in Helsinki and Tamir Cohen was twice on the losing side for Israel.

Stoke stopper Thomas Sorensen was substituted after just half an hour in Denmark’s defeat in Portugal but looks to be winning his battle to be fit for Saturday after suffering a muscle strain in his hip. There were both sets of players in Iceland as Stoke’s Eidur Gudjohnsen and Bolton’s Gretar Steinsson were part of the squad defeated by Portugal on Tuesday. Danny Collins and Sam Ricketts were also on the same side as Wales were beaten twice to Bulgaria and Switzerland. Collins will be up against Martin Petrov for twice in a week after the Bolton winger was part of the Bulgaria side that were victorious in Cardiff.

Owen Coyle will be wary of the fitness of midfielders Chung-Yong lee and Stuart Holden who were involved in internationals outside of Europe. American international, Holden was in the States for games against Poland and Colombia whilst Lee was in action for South Korea in a 0-0 draw with Japan.

Stoke have some positive team news as City defender Andy Wilkinson has reported fit for Saturday's trip after recovering from his latest injury setback. The right back had aggravated his knee ligament damage suffered at Chelsea in August but should start in defence after a fortnights respite and a run out for the reserves earlier in the week.