DANNY Higginbotham is confident a passionate Britannia Stadium can play a major part in keeping Stoke City in the Premier League.

The experienced defender was part of the Sunderland side which relied on home form to survive in the top flight last season. The Black Cats earned 30 of their 39 Premier League points in home games to become the only promoted team to stay up.

The Stadium of Light’s 48,000 capacity dwarfs the Brit’s 28,000, but Higginbotham says Stoke fans can give their team just as big an advantage.

He said: “I know from my time here before that the atmosphere at the Britannia is unbelievable.

“It is one of the of the best I have known. Away teams have to come to a stadium which is so hostile, and that gives the home team that bit of an advantage. I am sure it can make a huge difference for us this season.

“I’ve played at some good stadiums, but when there’s a big crowd here and they are really going for it there’s not many better.”

City are hopeful of a sell-out for Sunday’s home game against Everton (1.30pm kick-off), even though the match is live on Sky TV.

Higginbotham is desperate to play having returned to Stoke in a deal worth more than £2m on transfer deadline day.

The 29-year-old, who spent the 2006-2007 season with the Potters, says the game would be the biggest he has played in at the Britannia.

However, he accepts it will be tough to fight his way into a side which has made a solid start to the Premier League, thanks to the 3-2 win over Aston Villa in their last home game.

Higginbotham added: “When I was here before we had some big crowds, but playing in front of a full house would be that extra special.

“As I found at Sunderland, the home form is very important. We only got a few points away from home, and that was later in the season. But our home form was brilliant. Without doubt, that is what kept us up.

“People say it is a mental thing and that playing home or away shouldn’t make any difference, but if you can get those couple of wins at home you do believe that every time you play at home you are going to win the game.

“Beating Villa here was a huge barrier to have crossed. That win was against one of the best teams in the league, so whoever comes here will have a battle on their hands.”

CITY goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen missed Denmark’s 3-2 World Cup qualifier victory in Portugal last night after succumbing to a back injury, strengthening Steve Simonsen’s chances of facing old club Everton.