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Newcastle United, play Tony Pulis’ Stoke City in the Premier League at St James’ Park On Saturday.
Joe Kinnear’s Magpies go into this clash with Premier League debutantes Stoke, having drawn three, won one and lost one in their last five matches in the Premiership. Newcastle drew 0-0, last time out against Middlesbrough, in the North East derby at the Riverside Stadium, but welcomed back Australian International Mark Viduka to the side, who Kinnear hopes can score the goals to enable the Toon to climb up the table. Where they are currently in 17th place and just off the drop zone by virtue of goal difference.
Stoke will be pleased by their recent form in their first season in the Premier League, with the Potters only losing once in their last six league games to Manchester United 5-0 at Old Trafford. This run has seen them beat Arsenal, Sunderland and West Bromwich Albion at the Britannia Stadium, while drawing away to Hull City and Wigan Athletic. This sees Pulis’ side in 14th place in the table, but still only three points of the relegation zone, with a win at St James’ Park vital if they are to steer clear of a relegation fight.
Newcastle will be without Damien Duff (groin), Alan Smith (achilles), Ignacio Gonzalez (achilles) and Joey Barton (knee) for the visit of the Potters, while Kinnear will wait to see if Shola Ameobi (ankle) and Xisco (groin) can recover in time to feature against Stoke.
Stoke are still without Liam Lawrence (ankle), but Pulis could have Ryan Shawcross (back) and Dave Kitson (knee) available for the trip to the North East in this crunch Premier League clash.
Newcastle United: (from) Given, Coloccini, Taylor, Enrique, Cacapa, Guthrie, Martins, Owen, Bassong, N’Zogbia, Gutierrez, Xisco, Harper, Geremi, Beye, Butt, Ameobi, Kadar, Edgar, Forster, Tozer, Viduka, LuaLua, Carroll
Stoke City: (from) Sorensen, Griffin, Higginbotham, Olofinjana, Cort, Whelan, Soares, Cresswell, Fuller, Sidibe, Kitson, Pugh, Pericard, Matteo, Shawcross, Diao, De Laet, Davies, Tonge, Delap, Diagne-Faye, Phillips, Wilkinson, Simonsen, Dickinson, Sonko
Stoke City play, Phil Brown’s Hull City in the Premier League at the Britannia Stadium on Saturday.
The Potters will go into this clash of the Premiership debutantes full of confidence, with Stoke’s only defeat in November a 5-0 drubbing at Old Trafford at the hands of Premier League Champions Manchester United. Stoke have beaten Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion at the Britannia this month and have been impressive at home this season, with 5 wins from 7 matches. Although the Potters are just 3 points outside the relegation zone their recent form suggests that manager Tony Pulis has a side capable of surviving in the top-flight.
Hull are still in 6th in their debut Premier League campaign, but the Tigers have stuttered a little during November. Brown will be pleased that Hull managed to stop a mini-slump of three straight defeats by drawing their last two matches against Manchester City at the KC Stadium and then away at Fratton Park to Portsmouth last weekend, where the Tigers fought back from a two-goal deficit.
Pulis will be without defender Ryan Shawcross (back) and summer signing striker Dave Kitson (knee) for the visit of Hull to the Britannia, but could welcome back Liam Lawrence, who has been out with a sprained ankle after tripping over his dog.
The Tigers are still unable to call on summer signing from Tottenham Hotspur Anthony Gardner (thigh) and Craig Fagan (broken leg), who are both two weeks away from full fitness, but Brown could have Andy Dawson available for the trip to the Britannia if he can shake off an achilles problem in time.
Stoke City: (from) Sorensen, Griffin, Higginbotham, Olofinjana, Cort, Whelan, Lawrence, Soares, Cresswell, Fuller, Sidibe, Pugh, Pericard, Matteo, Diao, Faye, Tonge, Delap, Diagne-Faye, Phillips, Wilkinson, Simonsen, Dickinson, Sonko
Hull City: (from) Myhill, Doyle, Dawson, Ashbee, Brown, Turner, Barmby, Windass, Geovanni, Hughes, Duke, France, Garcia, Mendy, Halmosi, McShane, Folan, Boateng, Ricketts, Marney, King, Zayatte, Cousin, Warner, Featherstone, Atkinson, Stelios, Cooper
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