CASE FOR THE DEFENCE
EXPECT Stoke to stick with Thomas Sorensen in goal and the same back four which played in Sunday’s 2-0 defeat at Chelsea.

Ryan Shawcross serves the second of his three-game ban, while Danny Higginbotham is unlikely to have recovered from a back injury to start.

That leaves Andy Wilkinson at right-back, Robert Huth and Abdoulaye Faye in the centre and Danny Collins on the left.

The Chelsea game was the first time Faye has completed 90 minutes since the home victory over Fulham on January 5.

But he feels he is over a back problem, and knows Stoke need him at his best in the absence of Shawcross.

Burnley will line up with Steven Fletcher playing as a lone striker. The £3m Scotland hit-man broke his hand on international duty last week, but is expected to play.

He will be supported by David Nugent on the right, and Robbie Blake on the left, who will both push up from midfield.

Blake is expected to edge out ex-Stokie Martin Paterson.

MIDFIELD BATTLE
STOKE’S midfield problems increased when Glenn Whelan limped off at Stamford Bridge with a hamstring injury.

They are already without Salif Diao, who has a calf strain, and are likely to still be without Matthew Etherington as he continues to recover from a knee injury.

The absences should lead to a recall to Liam Lawrence on the right of midfield, while Danny Pugh is likely to come into the side on the left in place of Tuncay.

Rory Delap is set to partner Dean Whitehead in the centre against a Burnley side who will line up in a 4-1-4-1 formation.

Graham Alexander is Burnley’s holding midfielder just in front of the back four.

That allows manager Brian Laws to play a more adventurous midfield with David Nugent on the right, Robbie Blake on the left and attacking midfielder Wade Elliott partnering Kevin McDonald in the centre.

CUTTING EDGE
MAMA Sidibe is ahead of Dave Kitson to play as Stoke’s deep-lying striker. That leaves a choice between Ricardo Fuller and Tuncay for the other spot – and Fuller is favourite.

James Beattie has a knee problem and is unlikely to be available.
City take on a Burnley side who have only conceded 14 goals at home, three fewer than Stoke. Their problems have been away from home where their 46 goals conceded is easily the worst record in the Premier.

Leon Cort’s performances have reportedly been inconsistent since signing for the Clarets from Stoke in January. To be fair, the entire Burnley defence has been a model of inconsistency.

Cort is partnered in central defence by Clarke Carlisle, with Tyrone Mears at right-back. Daniel Fox, who signed from Celtic in January, is on the left of a defence, which protects the goal-filling frame of keeper Brian Jensen.