Stoke City

Stoke City V West Bromwich Albion

Date & Kick-Off: Monday, 28th February – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Brittania Stadium
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD1

Preview

It’s the final match of the weekend and while it may not be the most glamorous of fixtures on paper, this match is of huge significance to not only the two parties involved but also the clubs in and around them, especially after another enthralling weekend of Premier League action.

Impressive wins for both West Ham and Wolves at the weekend meant West Brom were demoted several places in the standings. The Baggies now reside in 19th position in the table, a point shy of bottom but level on points with Wolves in 17th meaning a result of any sort would see their brief spell inside the bottom three come to an abrupt and welcome end.

Stoke, meanwhile, are plotting a return to the top-half of the table, with even a point from Monday’s clash enough for them to leapfrog Everton into tenth. Their manager, however, has quashed claims that his side are too good for the drop, the Potters chief strongly of the belief that any one of ten clubs could conceivably suffer such an ill-fate, and that even the magic 40-point marker may not be enough to fend off the threat of relegation this season.

Stoke City

If the 40-point milestone which normally guarantees a club survival does work its magic once again this season, then Stoke are just seven points away from booking another term in the Premier League. There are also numerous opportunities left for them to register the seven points required, although few more ample than Monday night’s meeting with an ailing West Brom side at the Brittania Stadium.

The Potters are without defeat in their last five games at home, justifying why we always refer to the home of Stoke City as a ‘fortress’. Furthermore, they even boast a 100% record at home in 2011 – beating Brighton 3-0 in the Fifth Round of the FA Cup as well as wins over Everton (2-0), Bolton (2-0) and Sunderland (3-2) in the league.

And if that wasn’t enough food for thought, a fourth straight league win on Monday would equal their previous best winning sequence in the Barclay’s Premier League, a feat they last achieved back in November 2008. Ironically, West Brom played a part in that run two seasons ago. In fact, the Baggies have done the Potters several favours in recent times, by basically rolling over, as victory would also maintain another 100% record, the one they hold over West Brom having won the previous three Premier League meetings, all without conceding a single goal.

Not often do you see Stoke as the odds-on favourites to record a win in the top-flight, but with their opponents in dire straights and their own form encouraging, at home imperious, the general consensus is that Stoke will once again romp to a comfortable victory over the Baggies, who are in free-fall.

In their last encounter, Stoke felt they were hard done-by to leave Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium without nothing whatsoever to show for their efforts. Just one goal from an Arsenal defender, ironically from a set-play, an area Stoke are usually immaculate in, was enough to down the Potters in a match they created more than enough opportunities in front of goal to merit a share of the spoils. But despite the widespread compliments they received after the game, that disappointing endeavour is now in the past and if the club are to retain their top-flight status for a third successive term, Monday’s fixture is one they simply have to convert into maximum points as none of their remaining assignments are as straightforward as this baby on paper.

West Brom

As far as weekends go, there won’t be many worse should they not take at least something from their visit to Stoke on Monday night. Emphatic wins for both West Ham and Wolves saw the Baggies slide several places down the league into 19th, second from bottom, a position which only reflects their dismal run of form and probably an early indication of roughly where the club will end up at the end of the season, which is basically in deep trouble.

With former Baggie manager Roberto Di Matteo shown the door just two weeks ago, some would say unfairly so, the mammoth, and some would also say unenviable task of steering West Bromwich Albion away from the relegation mire has been left with newly appointed Roy Hodgson. The vastly experienced manager who struggled at Liverpool earlier in the season is nevertheless confident that he can salvage a season which began with promise but has turned sour ever since.

So what does the former Blackburn, Fulham and Liverpool tactician have to deal with? Basically a team on the wane, a side well and truly on the downward slope and heading straight for a routine relegation. A hard-fought but slightly fortuitous 3-2 victory over Blackpool at The Hawthorns remains their one and only triumph in an otherwise barren two-and-a-half-months spell. That’s one win in eleven in the league, a run which is only compounded by the fact that seven of those were defeats and somewhere in between all of this carnage was an FA Cup Third Round reverse away to Reading.

Throw in some severe lack of confidence and belief, some drastic away form which has seen them lose five on the spin in the league but also fail to score in 450 minutes of away football, as well as some injury concerns and a recent bout of illness, and there would be few who would argue with out next statement that surely Roy Hodgson has signed over his managerial soul to a club destined for the drop, so it would seem anyway.

As one corny 90′s track once went, things can only get better. Put it this way, how can they possibly get any worse? It’s been apparent for some time now that the dressing room is in desperate need of a confidence booster, so perhaps Hodgson’s arrival will be the catalyst for an heroic last-ditch effort to fend off a seemingly inevitable drop. Scoring a stoppage-time equaliser in the Black Country derby last weekend may have also done the trick, Carlos Vela scoring on his début on loan from Arsenal and a second goal in only his second appearance for the Baggies would only further endear him to the Baggies’ fans.

———————————————–

Background Information

Previous encounter

These two last met back in November when West Brom were going through a sticky patch at the same time as Stoke were enjoying one of the better spells of the season. The in-form side won, justifying the form book, although few seen a 3-0 scoreline coming. Goals from Matthew Etherington and a Jonathan Walters brace sealed an outstanding 3-0 victory for the Potters at The Hawthorns, home of a Baggies side whose best stuff invariably tends to come on home soil.

Form

Stoke entertain West Brom on the back of a disappointing 1-0 defeat away to Arsenal, disappointing because of the fact they did carve out enough opportunities in front of goal to take something from an extremely difficult fixture. That was their fourth defeat in seven games, each of those without finding the back of the net, with the Potters bizarrely alternating between winning and losing for the past seven matches and after their loss at the Emirates, are now due a winning outcome should the pattern continue.

However, it’s worth baring in mind that the Brittania does bring a more consistent side out of Stoke, who are now without defeat in their previous five matches on home soil, winning four. Victory on Monday would also be their fourth league win on the spin, equalling their longest ever winning sequence in the Premier League.

To some, the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo as West Brom manager came of little surprise considering the Baggies are stuck in a right old rut at the minute which has seen them muster just one win in their last twelve matches, seven of which were league losses, while they are currently without a win in five in the league.

It only gets worse when you look at their away form, the Baggies having lost their previous five away matches in the Premier League, the last four without even scoring – 450 minutes of football without scoring on their travels. And in this same losing five-match sequence on the road, West Brom have shipped an alarming amount of goals, 12 in total, and post the second-worst defensive record in the entire top-flight, conceding 52 goals in just 27 matches.

Head-to-Head (Premier League):

Stoke WINS – 3
Draws – 0
West Brom WINS – 0

2010/2011: West Brom 0-3 Stoke
2009/2010: West Brom 0-2 Stoke
2009/2010: Stoke 1-0 West Brom

———————————————–

Team News

Stoke City

The Potters could be without one of their main goal providers for Monday’s night contest with West Brom, with tricky winger Matthew Etherington doubtful because of a back problem which kept him out of Stoke’s trip to Arsenal a week ago.

With Kenwyn Jones having plundered just the one goal since September, Jonathan Walters should lead the attack alongside on-loan Villa hitman John Carew, who has a 100% strike rate at the Brittania as a Stoke player and already has three goals under his belt during his loan spell.

Abdoulaye Faye has a hamstring complaint and is unlikely to play any part in proceedings.

West Brom

After missing the Black Country derby with Wolves last weekend, Baggies keeper Scott Carson could return to the starting fold following a bout of illness.

Jonas Olsson and Graham Dorrans were also absent a week ago with illness but should return to the squad at least, as should Yousuff Mulumbu from a hamstring injury.

Defender Marek Cech is extremely doubtful with a groin injury which has kept him out of West Brom’s last couple of games.

———————————————–

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: West Brom to WIN – 3.50 Betfred

As highly as the club rate him as a manager, I’m afraid to say we don’t fancy his chances much of saving West Brom’s bacon. Absolutely everything would point towards a home win, the Potters boasting some outstanding credentials on paper, so anything other than a resounding victory for the Potters inside a raucous Brittania Stadium would be a gigantic turn up for the books.

Then again, we mustn’t forget what league this is. The Premier League has a tendency to throw a few spanners in the work, as Sunday’s results showed.

Unfortunately, finding reasons why we should oppose the Potters and take a chance on the hopeless Baggies is proving almost impossible. Their form over the last couple of months has been appalling, while their recent form on the road is atrocious, we try to back the underdog whenever possible, simply because it brings more satisfaction when you call it right, and on this instance we’re clinging onto the Hodgson factor, the fact his appointment is still fresh and that some may actually put in a decent shift for a change.

Value Bet: Carlos Vela to Score – 4.50 Unibet

There are several in this West Brom team with a point or two to prove, some who weren’t getting a look-in under the previous regime. Vela is one of them, not that he was even there when Di Matteo was around but the Mexican starlet has barely been in contention for Arsenal this season and after scoring the equalising goal on his début last time out in the Black Country derby, will be eager to send out another message to his onlooking manager, Arsene Wenger.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 1.91 Bet365
Draw – 3.50 Betfred
West Brom – 4.50 Coral

First Goalscorer Odds:

All odds with Betfred, who will be doing their ‘Double Delight & Hat-Trick Heaven’ promotion for the match in question. In its simplest form, simply choose who you will think will open the scoring and if that same player goes on to finish the match with two goals, BetFred will double your winnings. Should that same player who opened the scoring go on to score a hat-trick (3 goals), BetFred would then treble your winnings!

Stoke City

John Carew – 5.50 (9/2)
Kenwyn Jones – 5.50 (9/2)
Jonathan Walters – 6.50 (11/2)
Matthew Etherington – 10.11 (9/1)
Roberth Huth – 13.00 (12/1)
Jermaine Pennant – 17.00 (16/1)
Glenn Whelan – 17.00 (16/1)
Ryan Shawcross – 21.00 (20/1)
Marc Wilson – 21.00 (20/1)
Rory Delap – 26.00 (25/1)
Danny Higginbottom – 26.00 (25/1)

West Brom

Peter Odemwingie – 8.50 (13/2)
Carlos Vela – 9.00 (8/1)
Marc-Antoine Fortune – 10.00 (9/1)
Chris Brunt – 12.00 (11/1)
Graham Dorrans – 12.00 (11/1)
Jerome Thomas – 13.00 (12/1)
James Morrison – 15.00 (14/1)
Somen Tchoyi – 15.00 (14/1)
Paul Scharner – 21.00 (20/1)
Youssouf Mulumbu – 21.00 (20/1)
Nicky Shorey – 41.00 (40/1)
Gianni Zuiverloon – 41.00 (40/1)
Pablo – 51.00 (50/1)

More information:
Soccer Bet

Stoke City V Brighton Hove & Albion

Date and Kick-Off: Saturday, 19th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Brittania Stadium
Competition: FA Cup; Fifth Round

Gus Poyet’s Brighton have been setting the nPower League Two alight all season and have even had the audacity to replicate their league form – the Seagulls sat atop of the League Two table with a healthy three-point cushion but also with a couple of games in hand – into their FA Cup campaign, a competition in which they are now searching for their third successive scalp after beating supposedly superior opposition in the Third and Fourth Rounds in Portsmouth and Watford respectively. Stoke, though, will take the shape of a giant inside the intimidating Brittania Stadium, but this is a Brighton side in top-top shape who will genuinely believe they have what it takes to slay their Goliath on Saturday.

This an interesting match-up between Stoke City from the Premiership, who will be under intense pressure considering they’re the favourites and won’t want to be remembered as that side who played their part in a famous FA Cup giant-killing, and a Brighton team bang in form and brimming with confidence. However, it will also be the first ever meeting between the two in the FA Cup, and also the first in any competition for nearly five years.

Despite the bookies wary of an upset, they’ve had little choice but to install the Premiership side as the favourites in a match which has every chance of producing the shock of the round. Stoke, sat 10th in the Barclay’s Premier League, are 7/10 (1.70) with WilliamHill to avoid a Fifth Round shocker and dump Brighton, who are as big as 9/2 with PaddyPower to complete the giant-killing, out of the competition. Should this end in stalemate, Brighton will definitely fancy their chances in the replay back at the Withdean. It’s 3/1 the draw with VictorChandler.

Stoke City

In the knowledge that the team are going great guns in the league and with the club seemingly on course to retain their top-flight status for a third successive year, Stoke manager Tony Pulis has the luxury of naming a full-strength starting XI for Saturday’s Fifth Round FA Cup tie with League One’s Brighton Hove & Albion.

The word consistency hasn’t been branded about a lot of late with regards to Stoke City, with the Potters struggling to string a couple of wins together at present. But the team haven’t forgotten how to win games and despite going the best part of three months without notching up back-to-back victories in the Premier League, still find themselves in a cushy mid-table position, six-points above the drop-zone. So, for the time being at least, the threat of relegation isn’t immediate and that leaves Pulis with the freedom to select whichever team he fancies on Saturday at the Brittania.

Pulis will also feel he has a score to settle with the Quarter-Finals after bowing out at that very stage last season away at Stamford Bridge, home of eventual winners Chelsea. The Stoke boss felt his team didn’t get their just rewards for all their hard work during that campaign, where they beat Arsenal and Manchester City along the way only to be handed an almost impossible Last-8 encounter. Their journey hasn’t been as strenuous this time around, dumping Cardiff City out in the Third Round before snatching a spot in the Fifth Round courtesy of a typically clinical display away at Wolves, when winning 1-0 at Molineux. And it would appear their route through to the Quarter-Finals is a lot more straightforward on paper than it was last term, with the Potters being handed lower league opposition in the Fifth Round in a match the vast majority expect them to do the business in.

There is little doubt as to who the favourites are, but there’s also no doubt as to which of the two will end up looking silly should they fail in their bids to reach the Fifth Round. Stoke are playing a team from League One, albeit the league leaders, and so anything less than victory at the Brittania, a stadium in which they boast a 50% winning ratio in the Premier League this season, genuinely would send ripples around the country. Fortunately for Pulis, Matthew Etherington could return to bring some much-needed creativity to the fore, however, Kenwyn Jones, Stoke’s second top-scorer this season with 6 in all competitions, may lose his place after plundering a miserly one goal in his last 14 games.

Brighton

No-one at Brighton Hove & Albion is under any illusion of how difficult their Fourth Round assignment with Premiership-outfit Stoke City is, nor have they lost their sense of perspective and forgotten that the club’s main goal this season is to secure promotion back to the Championship, but there’s a growing sense of excitement, dare we even say expectancy, that the League One pacesetters are set to provide FA Cup romantics with the shock of the round.

Brighton have been almost unstoppable down in League One this season, the club well on their way to not only securing promotion but also clinching the 2010/2011 nPower League One. The Seagulls are three points clear at the top but having also played two games fewer than their nearest pursuer. However, the club are refusing to put all their eggs in one basket and for that reason, Gus Poyet, the Brighton manager who has first-hand experience with the FA Cup having won this competition as a player with Chelsea back in 2000, will name his strongest possible eleven on Saturday in a bid to oust the Premiership big-hitters from the competition and secure another possibly lucrative tie in the Quarter-Finals.

Victory at the Brittania Stadium would also be another notable scalp to add to their growing collection. The League One outfit have been involved in the competition since the very beginning, well, since the rounds had ‘Proper’ at the end. However, as soon as the big boys entered the fray in the Third Round, Brighton were one of a select few who rolled up their sleeves and believed they could be the team to really turn heads this season. In the Third Round, Portsmouth were their victims at the Withdean, while it was Championship side Watford in the Fourth Round. Of course, it goes without saying that Stoke are a more established club, and boast a better array of players than the aforementioned clubs combined, but it’s all the proof anyone needs that Brighton won’t be overawed by the romantic settings nor the formidable presence of Stoke at the Brittania which awaits them on Saturday.

The statistics only paints a more colourful image of what is a team enjoying their football at the present time, and team flying high in their domestic division. Just one defeat in their last nine games is formidable form they’re taking with them to Stoke. And they definitely shouldn’t be outplayed either, as this is a side who play possession football, and they’ll be patient in going about working an opening. Glenn Murray (14) and Ashley Barnes (10) account for almost half of their league goals this season, so there’s already two players folk need to keep an eye out for in a team which scores plenty of goals but also knows how to defend.

————————————————–

Recent Form

Stoke City

Last 5 in All Competitions

12/02/2011: Birmingham 1-0 Stoke (Premiership)
05/02/2011: Stoke 3-2 Sunderland (Premiership)
02/02/2011: Liverpool 2-0 Stoke (Premiership)
30/01/2011: Wolves 0-1 Stoke (FA Cup)
22/01/2011: Fulham 2-0 Stoke (Premiership)

- Stoke have been alternating between winning and losing for five games and after defeat last time out in Birmingham, are now due a win should the pattern continue.

Last 5 Home Games

05/02/2011: Stoke 3-2 Sunderland
15/01/2011: Stoke 2-0 Bolton
08/01/2011: Stoke 1-1 Cardiff (FA Cup)
01/01/2011: Stoke 2-0 Everton
28/12/2010: Stoke 0-2 Fulham

- The Potters are without defeat in their last four games at home, with three of those wins, while they’ve only suffered four defeats at their Brittania stadium all season (16 games).

2010/2011 FA Cup

Third Round: Stoke 1-1 Cardiff (Stoke won the replay 2-0 over in Cardiff after Extra-Time)
Fourth Round: Wolves 0-1 Stoke

————————————————–

Brighton

Last 5 in All Competitions

12/02/2011: Brighton 4-1 Hartlepool (League One)
05/02/2011: Bristol Rovers 2-4 Brighton (League One)
01/02/2011: Leyton Orient 0-0 Brighton (League One)
29/01/2011: Watford 0-1 Brighton (FA Cup)
25/01/2011: Brighton 2-0 Colchester (League One)

- Brighton have lost just one of their last 11 games, 8 of those were victories.
- Have scored in 13 of their previous 14 fixtures.

Last 5 Away Games

05/02/2011: Bristol Rovers 2-4 Brighton
01/02/2011: Leyton Orient 0-0 Brighton
29/01/2011: Watford 0-1 Brighton (FA Cup)
22/01/2011: Bournemouth 1-0 Brighton
03/01/2011: Exeter 1-2 Brighton

- Are without defeat in their last three away matches, scoring at least one goal in 12 of their previous 14.

2010/2011 FA Cup

First Round: Brighton 0-0 Woking (Brighton won the replay on penalties after a 2-2 draw in normal time)
Second Round: Brighton 1-1 FC United of Manchester (Brighton won the replay 4-0)
Third Round: Brighton 3-1 Portsmouth
Fourth Round: Watford 0-1 Brighton

————————————————–

Head-to-Head

Last 5 Seasons

No fixtures contested between the two during the previous five seasons.

FA Cup

These two have never contested an FA Cup tie previously.

————————————————–

2010/2011 League Statistics

Stoke City (Premier League)

League Position: 10th
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-3-13 (Home: 7-2-4)
Goal Difference: 31-33 (Home: 19-14)
Top Scorer: Robert Huth (6)

Brighton Hove & Albion (League One)

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 16-8-4 (Away: 6-4-4)
Goal Difference: 52-22 (Away: 20-12)
Top Scorer: Glenn Murray (14)

————————————————–

More information:
Football Gambling

Birmingham City V Stoke City

Saturday, 12th February – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: St Andrews

If the neutrals are after a thriller this weekend to rival those which encapsulated what the Premiership is all about seven days ago, I would steer well clear of St Andrews as the league’s two most unimaginative teams clash in Birmingham on Saturday in what has ‘dull’ and ‘stalemate’ written all over it.

No team in the top-flight has carved out fewer goalscoring opportunities this season than Alex McLeish’s Birmingham, who have Stoke directly above them in this most glamorous of charts. Furthermore, after careful observation and painstaking number crunching, no venue in the Premier League has seen fewer goals than St Andrews this season, edging out Fulham’s Craven Cottage and Blackburn’s Ewood Park for the unwanted honour of being the dullest ground in the English top-flight as far as goals-per-game goes. At this rate, especially if the Blues do go down, fans will be demanding a refund at the end of the season as St Andrews certainly doesn’t boast value for money.

So, anyone fancy the draw? The only previous meeting at St Andrews in the Premiership came last season when the pair played out a not-so-enthralling 0-0 draw. Even the encounters at the Brittania have been close-run-things – 2009/2010: Stoke 0-1 Birmingham; 2010/2011: Stoke 3-2 Birmingham – so it would appear the writing is well and truly on the wall as another evenly fought contest looms large.

Match Odds:

Birmingham City – 2.50 Boylesports (General)
Draw – 3.30 VictorChandler
Stoke City – 3.00 Coral

Birmingham City

The Premiership is establishing a nasty reputation when it comes to the dismissal of managers, and reports suggest Birmingham’s Alex McLeish isn’t too far off being the next manager to see his managerial tenure with a club he’s worked wonders with brought to an abrupt end. Fortunately for him, his team have come good as soon as the rumour mill began to churn – registering four points from their last two league games as well as qualifying for the Carling Cup final – his players doing their absolute all for his cause at a time when one more horrific result could spell the end.

Hopefully these rumours circling aren’t true, as while we cannot stand watching Birmingham under Alex McLeish’s watch, we do admire how he has gone about making a previously lightweight Blues side into one of the most difficult sides to overcome, especially when playing on home turf. Only Arsenal and Everton have won at their St Andrews stadium all term, while draws with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur only emphasise our points. Oh, and they did beat Chelsea 1-0 back in November.

Before last weekend’s fixtures came to a dramatic conclusion, Birmingham were floundering in the relegation zone. A dogged, workmanlike display at Upton Park last Sunday earned them a hard-fought 1-0 win courtesy of Nikola Zigic’s fourth league goals of the season. The three points may prove invaluable in the long-run, but even in the short term it has given the Blues a more healthy complexion. Sitting in 16th, albeit just a point above the bottom three, is still far better for morale than occupying a relegation berth and on Saturday, when McLeish welcomes Tony Pulis and his hard working Stoke side to St Andrews, Birmingham have the opportunity to register back-to-back victories in the Premier League for the first time in eleven months, although, more importantly, put even more breathing space between them and the drop.

Ben Foster has been a revelation in goal for Birmingham this season, with the Blues boasting a more tidier defence than any of their relegation counterparts. However, the former Manchester United shot-stopper’s participation at the weekend remains shrouded in doubts after he withdrew from the England squad during the week with injury. McLeish is, however, confident Foster will be fit in time for Saturday, when he will be aiming to keep his eighth clean sheet of the campaign. Alex Hleb was fit enough to play for Belarus on Wednesday so should be available for Stoke, however the rock-solid Scott Dann has been ruled out for the rest of the season after tearing his hamstring.

Stoke City

Tony Pulis, ever the pragmatist, is urging both his own team and the fans to air on the side of caution and to remain professional until the very end of the season if the club are to set new personal bests. The Potters have only spent two season in the Premiership but, after finishing both campaigns well clear of the bottom three, have become an established top-flight club in the eyes of most. We still have our doubts although, after another remarkable league campaign which recently saw Stoke become only the seventh side this season to reach double figures in the wins column, even we freely admit that Pulis has once again done a sterling job and you get the feeling now that only a couple more points are needed in order to pop open the bubbly and celebrate another successful battle with relegation; with Pulis speculating that another seven points should seal the deal.

Even though the club are on course to comfortably avoid the drop for a third successive season, Tony Pulis won’t set his sights on bettering Stoke’s previous best finish of 11th during the 2009/2010 term until everything is finalised. However, the club are well on course to clinch a top-ten finish for the very first time although Pulis is wary that the fans are beginning to demand more than is humanely possible from a side which continues to punch above its weight, though mixing it with the finest in the country has almost become second-nature to those still enthusiastic Potters.

Form-wise, Stoke are a mixed bag. The middle of November was the last occasion when Stoke strung a couple of victories together, with league wins not exactly being at a premium ever since but consistency certainly hasn’t been their forte of late. For instance, last weekend’s comeback victory at home over Sunderland helped end a two-match losing sequence yet the club are already gearing up for the possibility of a second successive Quarter-Final appearance in the FA Cup after Stoke drew League One’s Brighton in the Fifth Round.

The Brittania Stadium has a certain aurora to it which makes playing at home a powerful advantage. Take the Potters outside of the comfort zone, though, and you have a team nowhere near as potent (W3 D1 L8). And on Saturday, Tony Pulis will go about plotting Birmingham’s downfall as Stoke go in search of their first away point of 2011, after losing all three of their away encounters since the turn of the year: Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City; Fulham 2-0 Stoke City & Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City.

————————————————

Recent Form (Last 5)

Birmingham City

Premiership: West Ham 0-1 Birmingham City
Premiership: Birmingham City 2-2 Manchester City
FA Cup: Birmingham City 3-2 Coventry City
Carling Cup: Birmingham City 3-1 West Ham
Premiership: Manchester United 5-0 Birmingham City

Stoke City

Premiership: Stoke City 3-2 Sunderland
Premiership: Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City
FA Cup: Wolves 0-1 Stoke City
Premiership: Fulham 2-1 Stoke City
FA Cup: Cardiff City 0-2 Stoke City

————————————————

2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Birmingham City

League Position: 16th
Win-Draw-Lose: 5-12-7 (Home: 3-7-2)
Goal Difference: 24-33 (Home: 12-13)
Form: WDLDW (Home: DDLDD)
Top Scorer: Craig Gardner (5)

Stoke City

League Position: 9th
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-3-12 (Away: 3-1-8)
Goal Difference: 31-32 (Away: 12-18)
Form: LWLLW (Away: DWLLL)
Top Scorer: Robert Huth (6)

————————————————

Head-to-Head (Premiership: Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Stoke City 3-2 Birmingham City

2009/2010: Stoke City 0-1 Birmingham City
2009/2010: Birmingham City 0-0 Stoke City

————————————————

Value Bet: Under 1.5 Goals @ 3.00 Bet365

Quite simply, Birmingham do not do goals. Neither does St Andrews for that matter, while Stoke aren’t a great deal better at this scoring lark either. Stoke’s 12 away goals is right up their with the very worst, while no team has mustered fewer goals at home this season than Birmingham City. It would be typical for this game to end 3-3, but that seems highly unlikely. Instead, I’d be more inclinded to stick a few quid on a dour 0-0 draw.

If the form book is right, this match will end without any goals. BlueSquare go 9/1 (10.00) on such a scenario, which seems mighty generous. Too good to be true I suppose.

Stoke City V Sunderland

Saturday, 5th February – 12:45 (GMT)
Venue: Brittania Stadium
TV Coverage: Sky Sports HD2

————————————–

Stoke City

Despite his team tasting their third league defeat of 2011 and slipping down one place in the table to 11th, Stoke boss Tony Pulis was nevertheless optimistic about what the imminent future holds for his side and the endless possibilities which await his charges. He’s right, as Stoke are on the periphery of the top-ten while last Sunday’s 1-0 triumph away at Wolves sealed their passage into the Fifth Round of the FA Cup, where the Potters will face a seemingly golden home tie with League One’s Brighton Hove & Albion for a place in the Quarter-Finals.

Let’s hope Pulis’ enthusiasm for the future is infectious as while mental toughness and resilience are characteristics which have so often been associated with the Potters, they have now lost back-to-back games in the Premier League and any pessimism or downbeat faces would leave them open to another sizeable setback in their quest to finish the season in the top half of the table for the very first time.

Hopefully, good old Brittania will help save the day as Stoke seek to arrest their mini rut. No less than six of their victories in the league this season have come on home soil, while Saturday will also see them go in search of their third straight win at home in the Premier League – what would be their longest winning sequence at home since August 2009, when, ironically, beating Sunderland 1-0 in the third leg of that mazy run. So the omens would appear promising, strong in fact, as Stoke have yet to drop a single point in a home fixture with the Wearsiders in the Premier League, winning their previous two meetings at the Brittania Stadium 1-0.

Tony Pulis will also welcome back several key players, those which were rested on Wednesday night for the trip to Merseyside. Matthew Etherington and Kenwyn Jones, who have 4 and 5 goals respectively in the league for the term, will have benefited immensely from their week off and should make their fresher legs pay at the Brittania on Saturday. Asmir Begovic was outstanding in midweek and after keeping two successive clean sheets at home as well, should retain the gloves as Stoke go in search of three points which wouldn’t just send them back into the top half of the table, depending on other results however, but also into double figures for wins; only the recognised big hitters (Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Man Utd, Man City & Tottenham) have managed such a feat so far this season.

Sunderland

In what was undoubtedly the most exciting game of the midweek Premiership fixtures, Sunderland manager Steve Bruce was left irate at the lacklustre defending from his team. The 50-year old claimed the majority of Chelsea’s goals in the 4-2 defeat on Wearside were ‘gifts’ although couldn’t express enough how proud he was once again of how hard his team worked against an opponent he described as ‘terrific’, and a team full-back Phil Bardsley, who opened the scoring at the Stadium of Light, as simply being ‘too good’.

So a midweek encounter which when Bruce and his chums look back at it will contain a number of just as many positives as there were negatives, but taking into account that it was the defending champions they were up against, we would sum it that it was another pleasing display from the Premier League’s latest European candidates. Sunderland are still very much in this race to finish in the Europa League places and although they did take a significant blow during the week with that defeat to Chelsea, Bruce’s men are well aware that destiny is still very much in their hands however, the margin for error is becoming smaller and smaller with every setback – Liverpool now just two points behind Sunderland who occupy sixth in the table.

If Sunderland are to maintain their pursuit of European football then it’s imperative that they keep their feet on the ground and take every match as it comes. In this instance, Saturday is all about overcoming their latest blow and bouncing back with a positive, morale-boosting result at Stoke. Interestingly, Sunderland have been a resilient sort when it comes to blanking out losses, winning immediately after a league defeat on four separate occasions already this season. However, the Brittania Stadium is a different kettle of fish as the Black Cats haven’t purred in recent visits to Stoke, in fact they’ve still to score their first goal or register their first point away from home against Tony Pulis’ Potters.

Sunderland full-back Phils Bardsley claimed that if his team-mates produced a similar effort in their remaining matches of the season to the one at home to Chelsea in midweek, that his team would have no problems clinching many more vital sets of three points. We couldn’t agree more. However, what we do have issues with is the obvious lack of fire-power on Wearside. With Darren Bent sold in January, Danny Welbeck and Fraizer Campbell still out injured, Steve Bruce is left with only recognised striker, Ghanian hitman Asamoah Gyan, and it has tolled of late. Three of their last four league goals have been scored by Keiran Richardson, who is now being deployed as a makeshift striker alongside Asamoah Gyan, who does have seven league goals to his name for the season but has only two in Sunderland’s last twelve league matches.

Sunderland have never scored at Stoke in the Premier League, so to say the signs aren’t exactly encouraging would be an understatement, even more so now that their usually rock-solid defence – one which has kept more clean sheets (11) than every team in the top-flight bar Manchester City (11), has started to show signs of wear and tear after a long, gruelling first half of the season.

————————————–

Recent Form (Last 5)

Stoke City

Premiership: Liverpool 2-0 Stoke City
FA Cup: Wolves 0-2 Stoke City
Premiership: Fulham 2-0 Stoke City
FA Cup: Cardiff City 0-2 Stoke City
Premiership: Stoke City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers

Sunderland

Premiership: Sunderland 2-4 Chelsea
Premiership: Blackpool 1-2 Sunderland
Premiership: Sunderland 1-1 Newcastle United
FA Cup: Sunderland 1-2 Notts County
Premiership: Aston Villa 0-1 Sunderland

————————————–

2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Stoke City

League Position: 11th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-3-12 (Home: 6-2-4)
Goal Difference: 28-30 (Home: 16-12)
Top Scorer: Kenwyn Jones (5)
Form: WLWLL (Home: DLLWW)

Sunderland

League Position: 6th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-10-6 (Away: 3-5-4)
Goal Difference: 30-28 (Away: 13-16)
Top Scorer: Asamoah Gyan (7)
Form: WWDWL (Away: LDLWW)

————————————–

Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Sunderland 2-0 Stoke City

2009/2010: Sunderland 0-0 Stoke City
2009/2010: Stoke City 1-0 Sunderland

2008/2009: Sunderland 2-0 Stoke City
2008/2009: Stoke City 1-0 Sunderland

————————————–

Team News

Stoke City – Potters boss Tony Pulis made several notable changes to his team-sheet for Wednesday’s trek to Liverpool, so expect the likes of Glen Whelan, Matthew Etherington and Kenwyn Jones, whom were all unused substitutes, to be drafted in. Abdoulaye Faye is a major doubt after leaving the fray at Anfield with a suspected hamstring injury.

Sunderland – Steve Bruce still awaits Lee Cattermole’s return to first-team football, the former Wigan midfielder still suffering with a back problem that kept him out of Sunderland’s midweek home defeat to Chelsea. Because of the lack of forward resources, with Fraizer Campbell and Danny Welbeck no nearer to a return to first-team football, Keiran Richardson may be asked to play a little further forward to assist Asamoah Gyan, the club’s only fit recognised striker. Stephane Sessegnon made his debut from the off in midweek and is set to play his second game for the Black Cats in less than three days, however Sulley Muntari was nowhere to be seen but should at least be involved in some capacity on Saturday.

————————————–

Match Prediction: Stoke City to WIN – 2.25 WilliamHill

With Stoke’s Tony Pulis welcoming back an influx of players for Saturday’s live encounter with Sunderland at the Brittania, a venue where they’ve beaten the Black Cats 1-0 in both of their two Premier League meetings, I just can’t see past a home win.

Matty Etherington, Glen Whelan and Kenwyn Jones will be fresher than most, as opposed to a Sunderland side who while they may have played their first competitive fixture in over a week on Wednesday in defeat to Chelsea, named a full strength starting XI which performed admirably and worked tirelessly for the cause but in the end were blown away by the defending champions. Stoke, meanwhile, well they were outplayed at Anfield by Liverpool but you could the impression that Pulis had one eye on this fixture with Sunderland, not that he went to Anfield with a losing mindset, and that he fully expects his side to come good and notch up their tenth victory of the campaign.

Their record against Sunderland at home is strong, their overall record at the Brittania this season, and every other season, is immense compared to how Sunderland generally perform on the road – though the Wearsiders are arriving on the back of consecutive away wins, and with fresher sets of legs on the pitch I simply could not ignore the Potters. The Sunderland defence may also be a bit fragile following their four-goal concession in midweek so a match-up with John Carew and Kenwyn Jones won’t exactly be the ideal tonic, either.

Value Bet: Stoke City to WIN to NIL – 3.60 PaddyPower

As well as the previous two Premier League clashes in Stoke finishing 1-0 to the hosts, Sunderland have just one recognised striker, who hasn’t been firing on all cylinders of late, and have been relying on others, more notably makeshift forward Kieran Richardson, chipping in. A home win to nil could be tasty, as it looks likely.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.25 WilliamHill (General)
Draw – 3.30 totesport
Sunderland – 3.75 VictorChandler

Liverpool V Stoke City

Wednesday, 2nd February – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Anfield

Liverpool

Despite failing to keep hold of their prized asset, their most prolific scoring outlet and one of a select few match winners currently at the club, fans are surprisingly upbeat about the immediate future of the Liverpool FC and the direction in which the Reds are heading. However, after a frantic deadline day which saw Fernando Torres complete his switch from Liverpool to Chelsea but Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll become the latest idols on Merseyside, will it all prove too much on Wednesday when King Kenny  attempts to gel a team which has just lost their talismanic striker?

There will be plenty of spotlight on Liverpool when they tackle Stoke City at Anfield on Wednesday, because of a number of reasons, to be honest. Everyone is intrigued to see just how Liverpool cope with life without ‘El Nino’, a player the Kop came to adore but have all of a sudden come to loathe the 2010 World Cup winner, but also how their latest pin-up, Luis Suarez, handles his debut. The Uruguay international had an extraordinary scoring CV over in Holland with Ajax, averaging over a goal every game last term, but the Premier League is a great deal tougher and the feisty forward wouldn’t of hand picked a tougher opener than a meeting with the hard-hitting Potters, albeit at Anfield where Liverpool should look to dominate proceedings from start to finish.

Andy Carroll, though, won’t make his debut. The former Newcastle striker, who has 11 goals in the Premier League this season already, two more than Torres, has a thigh injury and won’t feature for at least another three weeks. It’s unfortunate as the Kop faithful are eager to see their new Number. 9 in action on Wednesday in a match the Reds simply have to win if they’re to keep alive any faint hopes of finishing in the Champions League places. Back-to-back wins in the league (0-3 Wolves & 1-0 Fulham) have seen Liverpool reduce the gap significantly, though Chelsea’s emphatic win last night means Kenny Dalglish’s charges still have a twelve-point deficit they need to cut down to size.

Although disappointing, the fact Liverpool weren’t involved in all the Fourth Round FA Cup action should actually be a massive benefit to the team. Stoke, meanwhile, will have to contest their third match in the space of a week unlike a Liverpool side who will have appreciated the weekend off. Steven Gerrard also has stepped up his return to full fitness after featuring in his side’s 1-0 triumph over Fulham last time out, though Jamie Carragher’s imminent return is the talk of the terraces after Dalglish confirmed that the defensive stalwart will be in the squad to face a Stoke side who comprehensively beat them 2-0 back in November at the Brittania Stadium.

Stoke City

Some 80-odd hours ago Stoke were dumping Wolves out of the FA Cup and setting up a tantalising Fifth Round tie with League One Brighton. Now they prepare themselves for the wrath of Anfield, a stadium which has seen their side, Liverpool, return to something like their old selves but Stoke endure two pedestrian visits in the last two seasons.

Stoke have enjoyed many highlights during their two-and-a-half-year spell in the Barclay’s Premier League, some memorable results which won’t be forgotten in a hurry. One of those was their demolition job of Liverpool back in November, when goals from Kenwyn Jones and Ricardo Fuller sealed a comfortable 2-0 win which saw the Potters produce an authoritative performance, arguably their most accomplished performance of the season. However, we should point out that the game in question was at the Brittania Stadium, a venue we often describe as a fortress for Stoke, whereas elsewhere they tend to struggle and none more so than Anfield.

In two previous visits to Merseyside to face Liverpool in the Premiership, Stoke have collected just one point (0-0 draw), a creditable point when you consider than then – during the 2008/2009 season – Liverpool finished a close second behind Manchester United. However, they were emphatically beaten 4-0 on their last visit while manager Tony Pulis still awaits his team’s first goal at Anfield.

The omens are mixed, though. Stoke have made it all the way to the Fifth Round of the FA Cup courtesy of back-to-back away wins over Cardiff City and Wolves, progress which is bound to life the the whole dressing room. In the Premier League, however, the Potters are on the brink of suffering their third away defeat on the spin following successive defeats at Manchester United (2-1) and Fulham (2-0).

————————————————-

Last 5 Results

Liverpool

Premiership: Liverpool 1-0 Fulham
Premiership: Wolves 0-3 Liverpool
Premiership: Liverpool 2-2 Everton
Premiership: Blackpool 2-1 Liverpool
FA Cup: Manchester United 1-0 Liverpool

Stoke City

FA Cup: Wolves 0-1 Stoke City
Premiership: Fulham 2-0 Stoke City
FA Cup: Cardiff City 0-2 Stoke City (after Extra-Time)
Premiership: Stoke City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
FA Cup: Cardiff City 1-1 Stoke City

————————————————-

2010/2011 Premiership Statistics

Liverpool

League Position: 7th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-5-10 (Home: 7-3-2)
Goal Difference: 31-31 (Home: 20-10)
Leading Goalscorer: Steven Gerrard & Dirk Kuyt (4)
Form: LLDWW (Home: WLWDW)

Stoke City

League Position: 10th
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-3-11 (Away: 3-1-7)
Goal Difference: 28-28 (Away: 12-16)
Leading Goalscorer: Kenwyn Jones (5)
Form: LWLWL (Away: WDWLL)

————————————————-

Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons):

2010/2011: Stoke City 2-0 Liverpool

2009/2010: Stoke City 1-1 Liverpool
2009/2010: Liverpool 4-0 Stoke City

2008/2009: Stoke City 0-0 Liverpool
2008/2009: Liverpool 0-0 Stoke City

————————————————-

Pointers

Liverpool

- Liverpool are seeking their third successive victory after back-to-back wins over Wolves (0-3) and Fulham (1-0) in the league.
- Have lost just one of their previous ten home matches in all competitions.
- Five of Liverpool’s seven victories at home in the league this season have been without conceding.
- The Reds have scored in 19 of 24 league games this season, though only one of those was at Anfield (Liverpool 0-1 Wolves).
- With Fernando Torres now gone, Dirk Kuyt and Steven Gerrard are the club’s leading scorers in the league for the term with four goals each.
- Liverpool have never conceded a goal at home to Stoke in the Premier League (2 matches).

Stoke City

- Stoke have won three of their last four games (1 League, 2 FA Cup).
- Since the start of 2011, Stoke have yet to register a point from two away matches in the Premier League.
- The Potters have failed to score in 4 of 11 away league games this season, while they’ve never scored a Premier Goal at Anfield (2 matches).
- None of Stoke’s last five away goals in the league were scored by a striker, in fact only 3 of their 12 away goals all season have been scored by forwards.

————————————————-

Team News

Liverpool – Unfortunately, January recruit Andy Carroll won’t make his début on Wednesday night at Anfield because of a thigh injury. The £35million-rated forward is back running but won’t make his Reds bow for at least three weeks. Luis Suarez, however, will make his début and could lead the line on his lonesome following the departure of Fernando Torres to Chelsea. Martin Kelly will continue at right-back as Glen Johnson works the left flank, while Lucas could oust Christian Poulsen from the centre of midfield after the Brazilian returned to training last week.

Stoke City – Tony Pulis rarely has any concerns when it comes to injuries, nor suspensions for that matter, so the Potters chief will have virtually a full strength squad of players to choose from. John Carew should continue to partner Kenwyn Jones up top, with Jonathan Walters almost certain to replace one of the two in the second half. Despite keeping a clean sheet at the weekend, when saving a Wolves penalty, Thomas Sorensen isn’t likely to start at Anfield with Asmir Begovic set to resume the gloves after an impressive first half to the season.

————————————————-

Match Odds:

Liverpool – 1.67 VictorChandler
Draw – 4.00 BetFred
Stoke City – 6.00 Boylesports

Stoke City V Bolton Wanderers

Saturday, 15th January – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Brittania Stadium

Stoke City

Stoke, despite participating in just their third ever season in the Premiership, aren’t really a team many associate with relegation any more. Dare we say it, but the Potters appear to have found a formula for success, and by success we mean a way of grounding out just enough points over the course of the season season to avoid a nerve-wracking scrap for survival. In the Premier League, though, it’s imperative you remain on your toes and on your guard, as the moment you allow complacency to creep into your game, disaster often strikes, something Tony Pulis and Stoke should bare in mind.

For the time being, Stoke are in a reasonable position with regards to keeping the relegation occupants at arms length. However, that deficit is just six points, so a couple of defeats, to go with the three registered in their previous five league encounters, would certainly alert the Stoke hierarchy, especially as manager Tony Pulis appears to have done all his winter dealings already and is now relying on his current crop to see him through until the end of the season. Although, just as we were writing this, news broke that Pulis put forth an offer for Hoffenheim striker Demba Ba, a Senegal international with pace but an abundance of upper-body strength to go with it – just the sort of player Stoke need.

We continue to discuss the possibility of Stoke being dragged into a relegation dogfight simply because their position is a precarious one, not to mention their recent form being so hit and miss. Three defeats in their last five, and just two wins from their last seven, both statistics in the league, is disconcerting stuff if you’re Tony Pulis. Furthermore, the Potters, while they were victorious in their most recent home fixture – Kenwyn Jones on target in a 2-0 triumph over Everton; Jones registering his first league goal in seven matches – have won only one of their last four at the Brittania, and two of those were defeats to sides currently situated in the lower half of the table in Blackpool 0-1 & Fulham 0-2, the latter against a side who had not won away from in 28 attempts.

If Stoke did set a New Year’s resolution then it will surely have been to start their forthcoming league games far sharper than they have been so far, with a real intensity and a burning desire to score early goals very much lacking. A little over 80% of their league goals this season have come in the second period, while the fact they’ve gone in at half-time with a lead on just one occasion is nothing short of staggering. On the plus side, Tony Pulis has at least seen his side plunder goals in regular fashion, with Stoke having conjured a goal of some sort in nine of their eleven league games played at fortress Brittania so far this season, although those two miscellaneous efforts did occur just last month.

Bolton Wanderers

We’ve said it on numerous occasion this season, though Bolton manager Owen Coyle really has been a revelation at The Reebok. Almost a year to the day, Coyle was officially unveiled as the new manager of the Trotters, a bold decision neither the club or Coyle has any regrets over. From relegation scrapper’s to European dark horses, Bolton really have undergone vigorous transformation under the former Burnley manager, whom has converted a previously dull and offensively clueless team into one which plays with exuberance and a dash of panache. Heck, he’s even turned a player we deemed ‘a Donkey’ on more than occasion in Johan Elmander into some sort of scoring wizard. So he must be a genius!

But like all good things, everything must come to en end and Bolton’s recent bout of injuries may well prove a cruel twist of fate for the Trotters, whom, before a torrid December month where injuries ravaged Coyle’s squad to the point where he couldn’t even name the maximum numbers of substitutes, were in spectacular shape, full of confidence and in buoyant mood ahead of what should still be an exciting second half to the season. However, some of that vibrancy will have diminished courtesy of a retched December month which seen Bolton win just two and lose four of six league encounters, a disappointing run which the team will now carry into another formidable fixture away at Stoke City.

It would be foolish of us not to mention just how excruciating Bolton’s festive period was. Out of the six league matches which went ahead, only two were easy on paper, two home encounters with Blackburn and West Brom, which they converted into maximum points easy enough. The the remaining four, however, were all away from home and against opposition of the highest calibre in Man City (1-0), Sunderland (1-0), Chelsea (1-0) and Liverpool (2-1), so the fact they went down in all four by a single goal is a tremendous achievement, a back-handed compliment if you like considering a loss is still a loss in football nowadays.

Owen Coyle will have no doubt hand-picked plenty of positives from a festive period which didn’t exactly reap may rewards in terms of points, though even the potential manager of the season will have his fair share of concerns regarding his team’s current frame of mind following ta three-match sequence without registering a win in the league, a run that probably wasn’t remedied by a 2-0 FA Cup third-round victory over Conference side York City simply because it was scruffy and very fortuitous, not to mention required Coyle to draft in his big boys in the dyeing embers of the game.

Two goals in the last five minutes of the game saw Bolton produce a smash and grab effort to secure maximum points in last term’s visit to the Brittania Stadium, home of a Stoke side who always give travelling sides a run for their money. The chances of Bolton repeating that feat appear slim on paper, with the Trotters, despite facing some stern opposition, heading to Stoke on the back of a four-match losing run on the road having failed to score in three of those. Moreover, Coyle has only guided his Trotters to two away wins all season, just one in four months as well, and both of those were against relegation favourites Wolves and West Ham.

—————————————————————–

Last 5 Results

Stoke City

FA Cup: Stoke City 1-1 Cardiff City
Premier League: Manchester United 2-1 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 2-0 Everton
Premier League: Stoke City 0-2 Fulham
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Stoke City

Bolton Wanderers

FA Cup: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 York City
Premier League: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Wigan Athletic
Premier League: Liverpool 2-1 Bolton Wanderers
Premier League: Chelsea 1-0 Bolton Wanderers
Premier League: Bolton Wanderers 2-0 West Brom

—————————————————————–

Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Bolton Wanderers 2-1 Stoke City

2009/2010: Stoke City 1-2 Bolton Wanderers
2009/2010: Bolton Wanderers 1-1 Stoke City

2008/2009: Stoke City 2-0 Bolton Wanderers
2008/2009: Bolton Wanderers 3-1 Stoke City

—————————————————————–

2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Stoke City

League Position: 10th
Win-Draw-Lose: 8-3-10 (Home: 5-2-4)
Goal Difference: 26-26 (Home: 14-12)
Form: LWLWL (Home: WDLLW)
Top Scorer: Kenwyn Jones (5)

Bolton Wanderers

League Position: 7th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-9-6 (Away: 2-4-5)
Goal Difference: 34-29 (Away: 12-16)
Form: LWLLD (Away: WLLLL)
Top Scorer: Johan Elmander (9)

—————————————————————–

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.30 Boylesports

After several minutes of careful deliberating, we, or I, failed to pick a winner as neither boast strong enough credentials.

Stoke, victorious on their last appearance at the Brittania, have clinched all three points in just one of their previous four at home in the league, while Bolton haven’t won an away encounter in the Premier League in nearly two months and arrive baring the scars of four successive away defeats. However, the Trotters’ recent away schedule has been torrid to say the least and if Coyle does welcome back a host of key cogs, as we suspect he will, then Bolton’s chances will be better for it.

It is a difficult match to predict, none more so than these two being fairly evenly matched in the strength department, as well as the possibility of the pair cancelling each other out in the air. Bolton play the crisper football but after a difficult month where some of the buoyancy has drained out of the dressing room, a trip the Brittania probably isn’t the ideal fixture for them.

A draw would be a satisfactory result for both parties, not that either will be playing for such a result mind, and the final scoreline should back this up. I foresee both teams scoring, I just have doubts over each side’s capability of outscoring the other in what is definitely going to be an evenly-fought contest between two of the league’s spirited teams.

Value Bet: Both Teams to Score – 1.95 WilliamHill

Stoke have scored in nine of their eleven matches at home this season, Bolton eight of their eleven away clashes. Two fully committed sides who will be shedding every ounce of blood and sweat in order to snatch all the spoils away from the other, so the odds on both teams scoring looks very generous considering.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.20 PaddyPower
Draw – 3.30 Boylesports
Bolton Wanderers – 3.75 Bet365

Manchester United V Stoke City

Kick-off: Tuesday, 4th January – 20:00 (GMT)
Venue: Old Trafford
Previous Meeting: Stoke City 1-2 Manchester United (24 Oct, 2010)

Manchester United

When Manchester United are winning matches without playing particularly well, or on their latest outing rather shambolic and outplayed by an opponent inferior in every which way, you know their rivals for the title may as well give up as this is typical United title-winning form. Before you know it, they’ll be blowing sides out of the water, and it wouldn’t be at all surprising to see them start with the visit of Stoke on Tuesday, who they’ve spanked 5-0 and 4-0 in their previous two home encounters in the Premier League with the Potters.

Who ever knew United captain Nemanja Vidic did comedy? The Serbian centre-half claimed Chelsea’s slump in form – with the Blues having sealed victory in just one of their last eight league matches – is just as bemusing as United’s dismal record on the road – the Red Devils posting a disconcerting 2-7-0 record on their travels in the league this term, a record which should have left the door wide open for their title rivals yet in actual fact, courtesy of their formidable record at Old Trafford, they’ve been able to slam it shut and on Tuesday, what with Arsenal and Man City contesting the same fixture 24 hours later, could stretch their lead at the summit to three points, where they could also bolster their already superior goal difference against an opponent they score goals for fun against at Old Trafford.

Quite simply, Manchester United have been sublime at home this season. Had a rare Edwin Van Der Saar not spilled a simple cross against the Baggies last October, the Reds would boast an immaculate record at Old Trafford in the league, although instead they must be content with nine wins in ten. It would have gone nicely though with their awe-inspiring feat of having gone a little over half the league campaign without losing a single match, but I’m sure sitting atop the standings with a game will satisfy a still evergreen Alex Ferguson, who claims he’s as passionate in his role as United manager than he was when he first joined over 25 years ago.

While the selection of opponent couldn’t be any sweeter, Tuesday’s game doesn’t come without the odd dilemma. Sir Alex, in the knowledge that he faces a mammoth double-header within the next fortnight, with a sumptuous third round tie with Liverpool in the FA Cup to come on Sunday before a trip to White Hart Lane to face an in-form Spurs the following week, will need to decide whether it’s worth risking his prized asset, Wayne Rooney. Deprived of goals undoubtedly, but the Evertonian converted Red Devil has been in inspired form of late, although mainly as Dimitar Berbatov’s goal-creator. Rooney spent the latter stages of Saturday’s 2-1 win over West Brom in the Midlands limping after picking up a knock to his troublesome left ankle, so the last thing Rooney will want to see is the sight of a hard-hitting Stoke side turning up at Old Trafford looking to make their presence felt.

So Ferguson may decide to tweak his starting XI for the visit of the Potters, which would be a negative considering messing with a winning formula has caused many a manager problems down the years. This United team has won five of their last six in the league, their last six on the bounce at home, and Rooney has been at the heart of all that success. His absence would be hard-felt, although Fergie can at least welcome Nani back into the fray while it isn’t as though Ferguson doesn’t have the comforts of home to fall back on, not to mention how easy they’ve rolled the Potters over in their recent clashes at Old Trafford.

Stoke City

Infuriatingly frustrating over the festive period maybe, but a couple of hard-fought wins slap-bang in the middle of an indifferent spell for Stoke has meant relegation has once again become virtually impossible, with the Potters quickly becoming an established top-flight club thanks to many attributes; a boardroom which sticks to its principles in the transfer market just one, but also a demanding manager who accepts nothing less than 100% from his squad.

Tony Pulis isn’t a manager held in the highest regard in some circles, particularly past players who feel they never got a fair crack of the whip under his stewardship, but he’s a manager which squeezes every ounce of energy from his players, whenever and wherever possible. He’s also a manager which instils a fearless quality into his team, though, in one particular fixture Pulis has struggled to convince the dressing room that there is absolutely nothing to fear but everything to gain, and that’s against the kings of the Premier League, Manchester United.

Not a single point has been registered from the five previous Premier League encounters with the Red Devils, a head-to-head record which become even more alarming when you come to realise that in two visits to Old Trafford, the Theatre of Dreams as some like to call it, the Potters have left with nightmares. Two successive defeats with an aggregate scoring of 0-9 is what Stoke somehow need to better on Tuesday night, though they find themselves up against not only the current league leaders, who are in such a dominant position, but also a side which have won nine of their ten matches at home this season, their last six on the spin, and have conceded only one in their last four – So it bodes well for a Stoke side who have never scored a Premier League goal at Old Trafford.

In fairness to Stoke, playing away from home hasn’t been as much of a burden or as daunting a prospect as it has been in their previous two league campaigns, and the fact they arrive in Manchester boasting an impressive three-match unbeaten run on the road does at least stand them in good stead and make them a possible banana skin on paper. With that said, winning this fixture does look improbable simply because their record at the elite venues, against the traditional ‘Big Four’, is appalling. In nine visits to one of either Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool or Man Utd, the Potters have amassed just two goals and registered zero points, scoring one each at Arsenal and Chelsea in their very first season in the Premiership (2008/2009). Since then, Stoke have failed to register a single goal at one of the Big Four venues in five attempts, though they must tackle three of their nemesis in the second half of the season.

The positives for Tony Pulis is that he has a full strength squad to pick from and that Kenwyn Jones recently found his way back amongst the goals, and the Trinidad & Tobago striker could cause United a few problems in the air. If Stoke can utilise their wingers to deadly effect up against Fabio/Rafael and Patrice Evra, with Matthew Ethrington and Jermaine Pennant both in sumptuous form for the Potters this season, then perhaps they might enjoy some rare fortune at Old Trafford. I still don’t see how they’ll register a result mind.

————————————————————————-

Last 5 Results

Manchester United

Premier League: West Brom 1-2 Manchester United
Premier League: Birmingham City 1-1 Manchester United
Premier League: Manchester United 2-0 Sunderland
Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Champions League: Manchester United 1-1 Valencia

Stoke City

Premier League: Stoke City 2-0 Everton
Premier League: Stoke City 0-2 Fulham
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 0-1 Blackpool
Premier League: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Stoke City

—————————————-

Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Stoke City 1-2 Manchester United

2009/2010: Manchester United 4-0 Stoke City
2009/2010: Stoke City 0-2 Manchester United

2008/2009: Stoke City 0-1 Manchester United
2008/2009: Manchester United 5-0 Stoke City

—————————————-

2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Manchester United

League Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 11-8-0 (Home: 9-1-0)
Form: WWWDW (Home: WWWWW)
Goal Difference: 41-18 (Home: 27-6)
Top Scorer: Dimitar Berbatov (14)

Stoke City

League Position: 8th
Win-Draw-Lose: 8-3-9 (Away: 3-1-5)
Form: DLWLW (Away: LLWDW)
Goal Difference: 25-24 (Away: 11-12)
Top Scorer: Kenwyn Jones (5)

—————————————-

Team News

Manchester United

Despite spending much of the latter stages of his team’s 2-1 win at The Hawthorns over West Brom hobbling after doing some minor damage to his ankle, Wayne Rooney is apparently fit to face the Potters on Tuesday according to his manager, Sir Alex Ferguson. Nani could also be in line to start after coming on as a second half sub against the Baggies, though Paul Scholes is still absent with a groin problem and South Korean Ji-Sung Park unavailable because of his international commitments.

Stoke City

Tony Pulis has a fresh bill of health ahead of his team’s visit to Old Trafford, with only Mamady Sidibe still rooted to the sidelines. However, Pulis may decide to make changes in order to keep his side fresh, with Ricardo Fuller or Tuncay possibly contesting a starting berth up front with Jonathan Walters. Centre-half Robert Huth, who has four league goals to his name for the season, will return to the starting fold after missing the weekend victory over Everton at The Brittania through suspension.

————————————————————————-

Betting Odds & Tips

Match Prediction: Manchester United to WIN – 1.30 VictorChandler

As per usual in games away from home against the bigger fish, Tony Pulis will set his side up very much to defend parity for as long as possible by putting plenty of numbers behind the ball whilst using their physical aurora if you like to try and intimidate a United team who hardly lack combative players in their ranks. Pulis has attempted this very tactic in his previous two visits to Old Trafford, and on each occasion his side were sent packing with their pants well and truly around their ankles. Will he try something a little different? I seriously doubt it, as with the players available to him there isn’t an awful lot more he can do other than try and focuc much of their attacking play down the wings, through Matty Ethrington and Jermaine Pennant, who have the tricks in their locker to beat their defensive marker.

A United side without Rooney would definitely play into Stoke’s hands as the United No.10 creates so many goalscoring opportunities, most for those around him. His absence almost nullifies the threat of Dimitar Berbatov, who has found a new leash of life since Rooney returned to something like his former self following a turbulant summer.

So, a United team with less attacking vigour about them will make Stoke’s task a whole lot easier, but we still don’t see them getting anything from this fixture. In recent weeks, Sir Alex’s men have found a way of winning ugly, etching out priceless wins in matches they had no right to win, and I’m sticking a few shillings on this encounter being a lot tighter than its predecessors.

Value Punt: Manchester United/Manchester United (HT/FT Betting) – 1.91 bWin

The Red Devils have taken a lead into the break in each of their ten home encounters in the league this season, and on nine occasions did they manage to retain their advantage until the full-time whistle.

Match Odds:

Manchester United – 1.30 VictorChandler
Draw – 5.75 Bet365
Stoke City – 12.00 BetFred

Stoke City V Everton

Kick-off: Saturday, 1st January – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: The Brittania

Stoke City

The Brittania Stadium, what was formerly a fortress for Stoke City, has come under relentless assault in recent weeks after seeing both Blackpool and Fulham win their either side of Christmas. That aurora which teams naturally associate with the Potters, and feel when they visit the home of Stoke City, is under serious threat and another lacklustre performance would almost certainly see them endure their worst ever run at home in the Premier League. But the omens aren’t exactly promising either, with Stoke having registered just one point from their previous two home encounters with the Merseyside outfit.

I for one did not see Stoke’s latest setback cropping up, as I’m sure most of you didn’t either. Fulham were in the relegation before their visit to Stoke, whom had only lost one of their last four on home soil. Now it’s two defeats on the spin at The Brittania, and now the pressure is really on the team to end a disconcerting run of form on home soil, as Stoke have relied heavily on their home exploits to keep them in the division, having done so with something to spare in their last two campaigns.

Fortunately for Tony Pulis, Stoke find themselves five points afloat of the relegation zone and not under any immediate threat or pressure to collect results in order to avoid a scrap at the foot of the table. But he won’t want that fortress feel, which everyone does tend to associate with the Potters, to diminish, certainly not with half of the season still to play. Stoke are not too good for the drop, despite hardly anyone tipping them for relegation.

So Stoke head into the New Year on a sour note, and arguably needing a win at home to Everton, whom they didn’t register a single shot against in the previous encounter between the two sides at Everton’s Goodison Park. Furthermore, the Potters have now gone over four hours without scoring at home, and it isn’t as though that miserable run has come against formidable opposition either. So there are concerns surrounding the Potters, although their unrivalled tenacity tends to dig them out of tricky situation, so it would typical for them to stun Everton right out of the blue.

Everton

Frustration all round as Everton head into 2011 on a low, with the 1-1 draw away to West Ham in midweek not enough to take the Toffees into the top half of the table and closer to the European places. Seven points adrift of sixth-placed Bolton, Everton find themselves closer to the bottom than the European spots and in desperate need of another second half resurgence similar to that of last season, when beating Chelsea and Manchester United en route to finishing eighth after making a similarly disappointing start to the season. A situation David Moyes had hoped his team wouldn’t find themselves back in heading into the New Year.

While the 1-1 draw with West Ham last Tuesday extended Everton’s unbeaten run in the league to four matches, it isn’t a streak to boast about nor was it a result encouraging enough to keep the critics at bay, as three of the four were draws and two of those were against sides who, at the time, occupied a relegation spot: Chelsea (A1-1), Wigan Athletic (H1-1), Man City (A1-2) & West Ham (A1-1).

I can assure you the fans aren’t at all happy on Merseyside, and not just with how the season has panned out so far with regards to where they are in the table, as well as their worrying amount of victories at the midway stage of the season; just four in total. The Goodison faithful hasn’t been pleased with the majority of the football they’ve seen from their team so far this season, paying good money to watch players paid good money by the club frustratingly fluff their lines week in, week out.

Fans expect and demand more than to be watching drab affairs against the Hammers, where David Moyes decided against using one of three available strikers and instead utilising Tim Cahill, who departs for Qatar straight after the trip to Stoke, as a lone striker – A position he isn’t effective in, while it was a move which was as bizarre as they come considering West Ham do concede goals and was an ample opportunity for Everton’s misfiring forward trio of Jermaine Beckford, Louis Saha and Yakubu to perhaps ignite their season with a goal or two. It was a move which backfired, as now his strikers know their manager has absolutely no faith in them, not even against the hapless Hammers.

I do worry for Everton, whom still aren’t scoring enough goals regularly. Tim Cahill has carried to burden of scoring the brunt of their goals all season, so to be without their top scorer (9 Goals) for the whole of January, and possibly some of February, is a huge blow considering Moyes doesn’t have any confidence in his fit and available strikers, nor does he have the funds to go out in the transfer market and buy himself a little treat. Throw in a bit of discontent within the ranks; Steven Pienaar set to leave in the summer for pastures news, and some out of sorts stars; Mikel Arteta nowhere near his best while the usualy reliable hands of goalkeeper Tim Howard has kept just one clean sheet in his last nine league games, and there’s more than enough evidence to suggest the Toffees may struggle away to Stoke, albeit with the Potters nursing their wounds following back-to-back home defeats.

———————————–

Last 5 Matches

Stoke City

Premier League: Stoke City 0-2 Fulham
Premier League: Blackburn Rovers 0-2 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 0-1 Blackpool
Premier League: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 1-1 Manchester City

Everton

Premier League: West Ham 1-1 Everton
Premier League: Manchester City 1-2 Everton
Premier League: Everton 0-0 Wigan Athletic
Premier League: Chelsea 1-1 Everton
Premier League: Everton 1-4 West Brom

———————————–

Premier League Head-to-Head (Last 5 Seasons)

2010/2011: Everton 1-0 Stoke City

2009/2010: Stoke City 0-0 Everton
2009/2010: Everton 1-1 Stoke City

2008/2009: Everton 3-1 Stoke City
2008/2009: Stoke City 2-3 Everton

———————————–

2010/2011 Premier League Statistics

Stoke City

League Position: 10th
Win-Draw-Lose: 7-3-9 (Home: 4-2-4)
Form: DDLWL (Home: WWDLL)
Goal Difference: 23-24 (Home: 12-12)
Top Scorer: Robert Huth (Defender) & Kenwyn Jones (4)

Everton

League Position: 11th
Win-Draw-Lose: 4-10-5 (Away: 2-6-2)
Form: LDDWD (Away: 2-6-2)
Goal Difference: 21-22 (Away: 11-10)
Top Scorer: Tim Cahill (9)

———————————–

Match Prediction: Draw – 3.30 SkyBet

Without a doubt the most difficult match to call of the entire weekend in the Premier League, with neither Stoke or Everton boasting particularly strong claims for the win.

Everton have a pretty impressive record against the Potters in recent clashes, having yet to lose in the Premier League to Tony Pulis’ side, while Everton won the most recent encounter as well, Yakubu doing the damage in a 1-0 success at Goodison. However last season’s encounter at The Brittania ended honours even (0-0) and we wouldn’t discourage anyone from backing a similar outcome.

I’m afraid there just isn’t enough positives to back either one of the two, with Stoke’s Brittania Stadium usually a formidable arena for opponent’s to play their football in, however with Everton having collected four points from their previous two league visits to Stoke, as well as the fact they’re unbeaten in their last four matches, makes ruling out the Toffees impossible for us, especially as it’s Tim Cahill’s last match and the Aussie will be eager to leave his team with a parting gift – Not that he ever scores when we back him.

No-one has drawn more games this season in the Premier League than Everton (10), who share the honour with two other clubs, while their six stalemates on the road is bettered only by Manchester United. With Stoke posting back-to-back defeats at home, they’ll be happy just to stop the rot; so a draw it is for us, another match we aren’t overly keen to get involved with if truth be told.

Recommended Bet: 0-0 Correct Score – 9.50 SkyBet

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.70 WilliamHill
Draw – 3.30 SkyBet
Everton – 2.88 VictorChandler

Arsenal V Stoke City

Kick-off: Saturday, 18th December – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Emirates Stadium

Arsenal

Before watching his side go down 1-0 away to bitter rivals Manchester United last Monday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger confirmed his surprise at where his side were in the table, top at the time, despite dropping so many costly points. Another three were dropped at Old Trafford as the Gunners fired blanks, in fact they did little firing whatsoever if truth be told, and while it was another significant setback, Arsene Wenger can at least take some solace from his players’ response following previous league defeats, with Arsenal having come back from a defeat to win their next match on three separate occasions this season.

Arsene Wenger won’t have been at all happy with how his team performed on Monday night at Old Trafford, a match which had so much riding on it as had Arsenal won, or even avoided defeat, then there was a real possibility of the Gunners heading into the new year as league leaders. That could still happen, however, they’ve fuelled the United fire, have bolstered their title rivals’ already healthy confidence levels, meaning the Red Devils will be difficult to stop. But Arsenal can at least pile the pressure on as United don’t play until 24 hours later, while the fact it’s against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge should further enhance the motivation levels and desire to register three vital points against an opponent which has troubled them in recent encounters.

Last season, Stoke dumped Arsenal out of the FA Cup in emphatic fashion, while the very first Premier League meeting between the two, back in 2008, finished in a Stoke victory as Arsenal continue to struggle against the Potters’ aerial dominance. Ironically, Arsenal may be boosted by Lukasz Fabianki’s latest injury setback, which forced youngster Wojciech Szczesny to take the gloves against Manchester United in what was his first ever start in the Premier League for the 20-year-old. However, despite his lack of experience at this level and exuberant age, the Polish shot-stopper could be the perfect answer to Stoke’s aerial threat. Fabianski has never been strong in the air, in fact it’s one of his well-known weaknesses, whereas Szczesny, at 6ft 5inchs tall, should have the raw materials to deal with the expected aerial onslaught. Although, in fairness, considering the match will be played at The Emirates, the keeper shouldn’t really be called into action a great deal, what with Arsenal so often dominating games on home soil. At least that used to be the case.

The Emirates hasn’t quite been the same this season, with that fear factor having diminished following shock defeats to West Brom, Newcastle United and more recently arch-rivals Tottenham. Teams are no longer going their to sit back as that only plays into Arsenal’s hands, and as of yet Wenger hasn’t found a tactic or solution to counter this. To make the task a whole lot tougher for Wenger, who must plot Stoke’s downfall this weekend, he’ll be up against a team who work as tirelessly as any other in the top-flight, so time on the ball will probably be at a premium for the Arsenal players. Fortunately, their midfield maestro, Cesc Fabregas, is set to return to the starting XI and it could be his magic which carves a usually well-organised Stoke defence open.

Stoke City

Even though the winter transfer window is looming large, Stoke City are one of the few clubs in the Premier League not expected to bolster their ranks. Their chairman, Peters Coates, who sanctioned the moves of Kenwyn Jones and Jonathan Walters in the summer window, as well as having a say in the loan deal of Jermaine Pennant, claims the current squad is good enough and able to uphold the club’s Premier League status and feels it would be foolish to mend something which patently isn’t in need of fixing.

After a stop-start season which has contained a couple dry spells, fans hope manager Tony Pulis is of the same opinion as the chairman in this current crop of players as there have been periods this season when Stoke’s Premier League status has come under scrutiny only for a resurgence in form to bail them out of trouble. With their fixtures over Christmas and early January not easy, and with Stoke’s impressive five-match unbeaten league run coming to an end last Saturday, when Blackpool became only the third team this season to win at The Brittania, you get the impression that come mid-January the chairman may need to rethink his strategy, especially as whenever Stoke have suffered a league defeat completely out of the blue they tend to record several more in quick succession.

For now, Tony Pulis has to be content with what he has, and I’m sure he is. His lads have got the team up to 12th in the table, five points clear of any danger, while it took a case of bad luck in front of goal to stop them extending their encouraging run of five league matches without losing when losing for the first time since early November at home to Blackpool. However, the signs are all there for another disappointing patch of form for the Potters, who have endured miserable periods where Lady luck just hasn’t been on their side, while they’ve also been a team which have found escaping lulls of form extremely difficult. This weekend’s trip to the capital spells trouble for Pulis and his team, as a second successive defeat is to be expected and before long, what with the fixtures coming thick and fast from this point onwards, the losses could soon add up.

Away from home Stoke haven’t faired too badly of late, unbeaten on their travels in their last two, however, up against sterner opposition, Stoke have tended to falter. Trips to Chelsea, Everton and Sunderland, teams with real attacking threats, have resulted in zero points being registered, as well as Stoke failing to score a single goal, and although they do have a two-match unbeaten away platform to build from, those results were achieved at West Brom, who were in dire straight at the times, and Wigan Athletic, who are rapidly becoming a popular choice for relegation. Nevertheless, Stoke have scored five times in their last two outings and are hoping to maintain that fine run of form in front of goal at the Emirates, where Arsenal have kept just two clean sheets in eight league games this season.

————————————————————

Recent Form (Last 5):

Arsenal

Premier League: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
Champions League: Arsenal 3-1 Partizan Belgrade
Premier League: Arsenal 2-1 Fulham
Premier League: Aston Villa 2-4 Arsenal
Champions League: Braga 2-0 Arsenal

Stoke City

Premier League: Stoke City 0-1 Blackpool
Premier League: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Blackpool
Premier League: Stoke City 1-1 Manchester City
Premier League: West Brom 0-3 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 2-0 Liverpool

————————————————————

Head-to-Head (Premier League):

2009/2010: Stoke City 1-3 Arsenal
2009/2010: Arsenal 2-0 Stoke City
2008/2009: Arsenal 4-1 Stoke City
2008/2009: Stoke City 2-1 Arsenal

————————————————————

Statistics (Premier League):

Arsenal

League Position: 2nd
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-2-5 (Home: 5-0-3)
Form: WLWWL (Home: WWLLW)
Goal Difference: 34-19 (Home: 19-10)
Top Goalscorer: Samir Nasri (8)

Stoke City

League Position: 12th
Win-Draw-Lose: 6-3-8 (Away: 2-1-5)
Form: WWDDL (Away: LLLWD)
Goal Difference: 21-22 (Away: 9-12)
Top Goalscorer: Kenwyn Jones (4)

————————————————————

Match Prediction: Arsenal to WIN – 1.30 WilliamHill

Stoke stunned the Gunners in their first ever Premier League meeting with a 2-1 victory courtesy of their famous long-ball antics. Since then, however, Arsenal have coped admirably with Stoke’s aerial threat and have won the last three league contests. They were, of course, beaten in the FA Cup by Stoke in last season’s FA Cup but once again it was at the Brittania, where matches at the Emirates have been a completely different story. The Potters, without their passionate fans roaring them on, just haven’t been the same side away from home against Arsenal, with the Londoner’s wealth of creative options in the centre of the park just too much for Stoke to handle.

The two previous league meetings on Arsenal soil have both gone the way of the home side in comfortable victories. With a midfield to die for and Cesc Fabregas expected to make his return to the starting fold, we just can’t envisage any result other than another predictable home success for Arsene Wenger and Arsenal, who still carry with them an indifferent record at home this season of 5-0-3. In the air Stoke are a match for anyone, but this won’t be an aerial battle but a pitch invasion for Arsenal, who we believe will run away with this match if given time and space on the ball.

Match Odds:

Arsenal – 1.30 WilliamHill
Draw – 5.50 Bet365
Stoke City – 12.00 VictorChandler

Stoke City V Blackpool

Kick-off: Saturday, 11th December – 15:00 (GMT)
Venue: Brittania Stadium

Stoke City

The Brittania Stadium has played host to many a high-profile clash since Stoke’s emergence as a Premiership club back in 2008, however manager Tony Pulis believes this weekend’s clash with newly promoted Blackpool will be one of the toughest his team have come across during a glistening two-year spell in England’s top-flight division. Professional until the very end, Pulis is a manager who underestimates no-one and the Stoke boss is expecting his players to follow suit on Saturday in a match they’re hotly tipped to win, something you don’t see all that often wherever the Potters are concerned.

The fact Stoke will face Blackpool as the favourites is one of Pulis’ primary concerns, with his players feeling the strain of an unusual burden of being the fancied team. Rarely are Stoke favourites to win a Premiership fixture, and they prefer it that way. Few teams have strived off their underdog status like Stoke City, and it will be interesting from a neutrals point of view to see how the players handle this peculiar burden of expectancy.

While Tony Pulis has the utmost respect for Blackpool and their manager Ian Holloway, the Stoke chief is nevertheless extremely confident of his side’s chances ahead of Saturday’s tester after watching his team go five league matches without suffering a single defeat. It’s an impressive runs which includes hugely impressive wins over the likes of Birmingham City, West Brom and even Liverpool, but some of the varnish has been etched away thanks to successive draws, the latter coming on the road at Wigan Athletic last time out. Despite taking the lead on two separate occasions, Stoke somehow found themselves sharing the spoils instead of registering all three priceless points. Pulis was far from happy with the final result, livid with the manner in which his team conceded the two goals but, if he was honest, delighted in many ways as the draw did at least stretch Stoke’s unbeaten run to five matches, a run which instils a wealth of confidence into a dressing room and just the sort of run Stoke need ahead of a busy festive schedule.

The media often brand Stoke’s home stadium as ‘fortress Brittania’ and on the basis of a strong home record in the league this season, rightly so. After eight matches on home soil, Stoke only have two defeats to their name. Moreover, they’re unbeaten in their last three and post a formidable record of 4-2-2 in their own backyard. It takes a hardened sort to come to Stoke and leave with all the spoils, and so far only Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United have done so. Blackpool aren’t held in the same regard as the aforementioned teams, aren’t even in the same postcode, so it’s no surprise to see Tony Pulis’ Stoke as the pre-match favourites in a match the manager believes will be one of his side’s toughest ever in the Premier League, when in actual fact it will be one of their easiest, on paper anyway.

Blackpool

The concern is growing all around Bloomfield Road regarding the future of their stars, those which have shined during the first half of the season, and with the January transfer window looming large Ian Holloway has been quick to dash reports that any rumours or speculation regarding his players won’t be the negative foundations upon which hid side’s begin their slide down the table, something which should have happened a long time ago but the Tangerines’ boisterous, dare we say careless attitude has meant a Blackpool decline has been postponed, temporarily at least.

I’m certain Ian Holloway would take offence to the following, but Blackpool don’t half play a suicidal type of game to perfection. As we said above, careless would be one word to describe the Tangerines in their maiden Premier League campaign, with their love for attacking football making them arguably the most supported team in the country as far as the neutral target group goes, but from a punter’s perspective I find them a frustrating sort not least because they tend to turn up unannounced, trash the party and rain on someone’s parade. They’ve done it to so many this season, Newcastle Utd and Liverpool among them, and it is results like that which make a bunch of average footballers almost impossible to oppose.

If you’re a fan of value then pound-for-pound no teams offers more value for money than Blackpool, with their squad manufactured on a shoe-string budget but has somehow been designed to provide us all with thoroughly entertaining game’s of football. The reason for this is they play in one mindset, to attack. They know no other way to play the game, it’s a one-way street. We won’t lie, it’s refreshing to see but we’ve seen it before, last season in fact, with Burnley playing in a similar fashion and yet ended up being relegated with games to spare and with the worst defensive record the Premier League has ever seen. Blackpool are of a similar mould and are very much capable of going the same way if they’re not careful, with the only thing stopping them from plummeting down the table at present being that the novelty of the Premier League has shown no signs whatsoever of wearing off with the fans now the players, but the team has also gone the entire season to date without enduring a really barren period. There have been blips, but no droughts and over a gruelling Christmas period, where Blackpool’s wafer-thin squad will be put through his paces, we’re more than a little concerned that they could be found wanting.

However, for the time being Blackpool are living the dream and will even arrive at the Brittania, where Stoke have lost just twice in the league, in extremely good nick having gone their last three matches without tasting what losing feels like. They’ll also be in good condition, after their match with Manchester United last weekend was postponed due to the adverse weather conditions, and manager Ian Holloway is hopefully that fresh legs will make up for his side’s lack of aerial presence and combative individuals as Stoke will provide the Tangerines with a Premier League examination like no other. Saying that, their trip to Birmingham last month was a little similar and that ended in Blackpool being beaten comprehensively.

  —————————————————–

Recent Form (Last 5 Matches):

Stoke City

Premier League: Wigan Athletic 2-2 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 1-1 Manchester City
Premier League: West Brom 0-3 Stoke City
Premier League: Stoke City 2-0 Liverpool
Premier League: Stoke City 3-2 Birmingham City

Blackpool

Premier League: Blackpool P-P Manchester United (Last weekend’s match was postponed due to bad weather)
Premier League: Bolton Wanderers 2-2 Blackpool
Premier League: Blackpool 2-1 Wolves
Premier League: West Ham 0-0 Blackpool
Premier League: Aston Villa 3-2 Blackpool

  —————————————————–

Statistics (Premier League ONLY):

Stoke City

League Position: 10th
Win/Draw/Lose: 6-3-7 (Home: 4-2-2)
Form: WWWDD (Home: WLWWD)
Goal Difference: 21-21 (Home: 12-9)
Top Goalscorer: Kenwyn Jones (4)

Blackpool

League Position: 13th
Win/Draw/Lose: 5-4-6 (Away: 3-2-4)
Form: DLDWD (Away: WLLDD)
Goal Difference: 23-29 (Away: 12-18)
Top Goalscorer: Luke Varney (5)

——————————————————

Match Odds

Stoke City – 1.67 PaddyPower
Draw – 4.00 Bet365
Blackpool – 6.00 BetFred