Black Cats vs Potters preview

Both sides will still be suffering after last week's defeats. Stoke were unlucky to lose at Everton, but the Black Cats' luck ran out in dramatic fashion at their local rivals, Newcastle on Sunday where they went down 5-1 and saw a player sent off.

There is no shortage of Stoke players making a return to their old club on Saturday: Thomas Sorensen, Rory Delap, Dean Whitehead, Danny Collins, Danny Higginbotham and our latest Wearside recruit, Kenwyne Jones will all be raring to start.

Collins told the offical SCFC site: 'There is always a little bit of banter when you go back to a former club, but hopefully I can do much of my talking with a smile on my face after the game. There are quite a few lads there who I am looking forward to seeing.'

Titus Bramble is suspended after his red card at St. James Park. Their £13m record signing, Asamoah Gyan is likely to make his first Premier League start

It could be a difficult match with the Black Cats keen to put that game last week behind them and with a front row likely to Bent and Gyan it will not be easy.

Thomas Sorensen is said to be fit again, but TP will have to decide if he's going to give Asmir Begovic another chance in goal with Birmingham coming up on Tuesday. Ricardo Fuller also appears to be nearly fit and, if so, will be on the bench. We'll have to see if Tuncay is given another start after seeing a perfectly good goal disallowed last weekend. Rory Delap is a doubt after suffering with a calf strain.

Jones is due a return to goalscoring form and playing against your former club always helps to raise the Adrenalin levels another notch.

Martin Atkinson

Tuesday 9th November: Birmingham (home) kick-off: 7.44pm
Saturday 13th November: Liverpool (home) kick-off: 5.30pm (ESPN)

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