Stoke City V Aston Villa

Saturday, 13^th March – 15:00 GMT

Stoke City

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: DDWDL

Tony Pulis, whom will surely feel his side are not only in a healthy position to avoid relegation but are more than equipped to do so now, will set his sights set on a top ten finish and will need a win on Saturday to close the gap in Fulham to just a single point. They arrive into this home fixture in pretty good knick, with only their exit to Chelsea in the FA Cup their only misery of late, but do they have enough resilience, enough fight and determination to beat an ever improving Aston Villa.

The Potters narrowly lost the reverse encounter 1-0 at Villa Park but, because that game was so close, Stoke will fancy their chances of doing Villa over for a second season running at The Brittania after beating Villa 3-2 there last season. Their physical game play, their dogged persistence rocked Villa back then ata time when no-one really knew what Stoke were all about. Now, however, everyone knows what Stoke’s main strengths are, although knowing is only half the battle as many managers this season, despite being fully aware of the dangers Stoke pose, haven’t dealt with Stoke in the correct manner.

Like Stoke always do, The Potters will look to impose themselves on Villa at The Brittania, closing down whenever their opponents are in possession and sticking a boot in whenever necessary. It’s a logical tactic as it’s been so beneficial down the past. However, Stoke do leave themselves open to some quick play and Villa do like to get the ball down and play crisp, on the floor, football, and that’s a problem for Stoke as they aren’t the quickest of sides nor do they have the greatest of agility. Their tough, often referred to as ‘rash’ of late, tackles need to be spot on in this clash as Villa are quick with their feet and some late challenges in this game could see Stoke reduced to 10 men as no doubt referee’s will keep a close eye on Stoke now after the recent Ramsay controversy.

Arsenal were the last Premiership side to pay Stoke a visit at The Brittania in a game more remembered for that infamous Ryan Shawcross tackle on Aaron Ramsey which resulted in the Welsh international suffering a compound fracture in his leg. That was just two league fixtures ago so Shawcross will once again miss a league game for Stoke as he serves out his suspension, however, their tackles could be open to debate once again this Saturday as Villa do possess some tricky customers on the ball, with Milner, Young and Downing all nifty in possession. While being physical is an ever present feature in Stoke’s overall game plan, they mustn’t be over malicious in their tackles as not only could it cause danger to their opponents but it would also reduce their chances of winning a game if one sees red.

Aston Villa

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: DWDDW 

After a disappointing effort in the Carling Cup final, losing 2-1 to Manchester United, Villa made it up to their fans by booking another Wembley adventure after their enthralling win at Reading last Saturday, winning 4-2 at the Madjeski. It wasn’t easy though, with Villa having to claw back a two goal half-time deficit before eventually running out comfortable 4-2 winners. Their second half comeback was outstanding, however, and you would have to think it’s Villa who are the team with all the momentum, especially after Liverpool lost in midweek to bolster their top four claims.

Martin O’Neill knows his young side have to contend with battles on all fronts, with their progression into the semi-finals of the FA Cup now up their with finishing in fourth position as their season-long objectives. They were given a huge boost in midweek without even playing when Liverpool shockingly fell to defeat at The DW to Wigan Athletic, but this looks a tough outing for Villa and it will be a test of their character and resilience if they do somehow manage to cope with the aerial ability of Stoke in a fixture Villa can ill-afford to drop any points in.

While Villa’s recent league form isn’t half bad, it isn’t exactly great having gone six games unbeaten in the league but only managing two wins in the process. Moreover, just one of those wins was away from Villa Park, with Aston Villa winning just one of their previous three away fixtures in the Premiership. They have had some tough fixtures of late mind, against sides either in close proximity or above them, so to remain unbeaten for that length of time is a credit to the players and the manager. However, now is the time to start winning games, especially as there is an FA Cup semi-final just over the horizon, and building up some positive momentum is key heading into both the FA Cup tie and their remaining Premiership games.

The problem with Villa of late has been their scoring antics away from home, or lack of it shall we say. In their last three away games Villa have finished two without scoring, while they’ve scored a slim tally of 14 away goals this season, which isn’t a touch on the teams above them in the table. Villa must start improving, in an attacking sense, in their away fixtures if they are to put pressure on Tottenham and Man City for fourth spot, although The Brittania is a tough venue to start banging a few goals in. We’re sure O’Neill would take a narrow 1-0 victory just this once though as only the best have gone to Stoke and left with all three points this season.

Match Verdict: Aston Villa to WIN – 2.30 Boylesports

We aren’t sure Villa have the the necessary equipment at the back to handle Stoke’s threat from the air, with Richard Dunne, whom is hardly a reliable sort, and James Collins under immense pressure to deal with the long balls, Delap’s famous long throws and Stoke’s dangerous set-plays. If Villa’s centre-back partnering of Dunne and Collins put in a big shift then Villa will win this encounter, in our opinion, as Villa should at least find the net once in this fixture despite their recent poor vein of form in front of goal in their away outings. John Carew has the height and strength to handle the air battles so we have no concerns over him, especially after his hat-trick at the weekend, but we do have reservations over Agbonlahor. He looks powerful but he’s actually pretty fickle and flimsy. The latter needs a big performance up front for Villa, although his pace will trouble Stoke at the back. It will be tough, but we feel Villa could edge this tough, gruelling encounter at The Brittania.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 3.40 Expekt

Draw – 3.30 Coral

Aston Villa – 2.30 Boylesports

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Aston Villa to WIN by 1 goal – 3/1 Bet365

FA Cup: Quarter-Final

Chelsea V Stoke City

Kick-Off: Sunday, 7^th March – 16:00 GMT

TV Coverage: ITV1

Chelsea

FA Cup Odds: 11/10 General (Bet365, SkyBet, Boylesports…)

Losing your unbeaten home status, losing your cool, losing the plot – Where do we even start with Chelsea. After getting all the big boys out of the way at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea appeared destined to go the entire length of the season without losing a fixture at home. That was until Manchester City paid them a visit at the weekend and emphatically destroyed Chelsea’s thirteen match streak without losing at The Bridge. It now begs the question as to how, even if, Chelsea respond in their very next competitive fixture which just so happens to be at Stamford Bridge, although, against an awkward Stoke City.

Chelsea should make an almost instant return to winning ways on Sunday by fending off the robust challenge of Stoke City in the FA Cup, but their recent displays have left a lot to be believed, and, for the first time in a long while, Chelsea might actually be a precarious bet even in a home fixture. Their opponents may just be Stoke City, a so called typical ‘Route 1′ kind of side, but The Potters have made a nuisance of themselves since joining the Premiership ranks last season and pushed Chelsea all the way in the reverse meeting back at The Brittania Stadium with Chelsea needing a 96^th minute Malouda strike to seal all three points.  

If we are to remain completely unbiased and honest, Chelsea should still have far too much for the likes of Stoke City, whom will be reeling after the weekend’s events. However, Carlo Ancelotti does have an healing act on his hands as their capitulation at home to Man City over the weekend was something out of the pictures, a sight you don’t see too often, or never in Chelsea’s recent era. Frank Lampard got proceedings off to a flyer when swinging a swift right foot to slide the ball across Shay Given’s path in a first half that Chelsea not only dominated entirely but should have had more than just the one goal to show for their efforts. This was arguably the roots of their downfall as a costly mistake at the other end of the field just before the break, by a clearly shaken John Terry, led to Carlos Tevez scrambling home an equaliser.  

Chelsea never really recovered from that error and it was mistakes galore from there on out, with Beletti seeing red whilst conceding a game changing penalty, whilst Michael Ballack was sent off for a rash challenge, with his frustrated attempt at a challenge indicative of how the rest of the team were feeling on what was a fay to remember for the blues. Lampard did score his second from the spot late on but that game is now in the past and Chelsea must somehow put their abysmal result to one side and concentrate on a game just as important, if not more so than their last.

Hilario will continue in goal, which won’t fill Chelsea fans nor punters with any great deal of confidence after his pathetic showing on Saturday, while Juliano Beletti and Michael Ballack will both miss this Quarter-Final showdown through suspension, leaving Ancelotti with a selection headache.

Stoke City

FA Cup Odds: 25/1 Coral

It was a weekend to forget for Tony Pulis and his Stoke team, much like their FA Cup opponents, although for completely different circumstances. In what is a results business, it wasn’t the defeat that caught the attention of most Stoke fans on Saturday when losing 3-1 to Arsenal, no, but more about the unfortunate going-on’s during the game which seen Ryan Shawcross sent off for a clumsy tackle which was a product of a compound fracture for poor old Aaron Ramsay. Emotions were running high, with Shawcross himself leaving the pitch in tears, and with the players clearly being shaken mentally after that incident, it’s now Tony Pulis’ job to get his Stoke squad back on track and back in the right mindset in time for this trip to the capital. 

We don’t want to delve too much into Saturday’s commotion as we could go on forever, however, we will concentrate more on the end result and one which will have a huge impact on the confidence of the players as the 3-1 defeat at home to Arsenal was a momentum killing one. Stoke were previously on an unbeaten run of seven games in the league, accompanied by a string of mesmerizing displays in the FA Cup which has aided them in a Quarter-Final appearance against the current holders of the trophy. Those two injury time goals has stopped Stoke firmly in their tracks, perhaps even derailed them considering the manner in which they lost, and much like their opponents it will be interesting to see just how the respond on Sunday.

The obvious factor to point out is that influential defender Ryan Shawcross will miss the trip to Chelsea through suspension, although that will go without saying to some degree. However, the good news is that Matthew Etherington, one of the players of the season at Stoke in our eyes, could return from a knee injury to possibly expose what is a weakened Chelsea side in defence, especially in the full-back areas. He is still a doubt, but should he feature then Stoke’s chance of success would greatly increase as he would amply supply their strong forwards.

However, it’s the forwards which concern us the most, even more so should Etherington not feature as Stoke have been useless in front of goal on their travels this season. While Stoke did earn a well deserving draw in the last round at Man City, scoring one goal via Ricardo Fuller, Stoke have managed just seven goals away from home back in the Premiership, failing to score in over half of their away outings (6/13). However, their luck in front of the sticks has improved in recent outings, not only finding a way past Shay Given in the last round at The City of Manchester stadium but also locating the goal in their previous two league outings away at Wigan Athletic & Portsmouth, although, we expect you’ve quickly acknowledge that both their opponents are in lousy form and near the foot of the table so perhaps their recent goalscoring trend is of little use to us and a tad deceiving.

Match Verdict: Chelsea to WIN – 1.30 SkyBet

While Stoke will look to defend in numbers, using their physical attributes; their hunger, aggressive manner and resilience to their advantage, they lack the quality up front, that cutting edge to really cause Chelsea any problems. It would take some performance, and then some, were Stoke to be the second team this season to beat Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. It’s something the bookies haven’t comprehended and it’s an outcome that doesn’t even feature in our equations. Chelsea should be far too strong in attack and, providing they take one of a predicted haul of chances, should safely bypass this Stoke City physical.

Match Odds:

Chelsea – 1.30 SkyBet

Draw – 6.00 BlueSquare

Stoke City – 11.00 SportingBet

Stoke City V Arsenal

Saturday, 27^th February – 17:30 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

Stoke City

League Position: 11th

Recent Form: DWDDW

Tony Pulis must feel he’s the best manager in the world as he just can’t stop beating Arsenal at The Brittania. The Potters may have lost both their encounters with Arsenal at The Emirates, one coming earlier in the season in the form of a 2-0 lose, but Stoke boast a 100% home record against Arsenal in all competitions, even earning another surprise victory against The Gunners earlier in the year in the FA Cup. Tony Pulis really does know how to throw a spanner in the Arsenal works with his tactiful genius, but will he be able to produce another masterpiece by making it three from from against Arsenal at The Brittania this Saturday?

We’re sure Tony Pulis will keep muttering that old adage ‘If it’s not broke, don’t fix it’ as he looks to set Stoke up in the same formation and set up that has beaten Arsenal two games on the spin at home. If this is to be the case then Stoke will get in their faces, closing Arsenal down at every opportunity whilst playing for set-plays when they do stride forward. Pulis doesn’t even need to do his homework as he knows just where to hurt Arsenal, and that’s in their defence from crosses. William Gallas isn’t a certainty to feature on Saturday so an unconvincing Sol Campbell, at the ripe old age of 35 (Yikes!) will probably start in the heart of the Arsenal defence alongside Thomas Vermealen, whom has actually been a very good signing for The Gunners this season. However, both managed to thwart Stoke’s aerial prowess when the two teams last met in a competitive fixture, that being Stoke’s 3-1 victory in the FA Cup, so Stoke will look to capitalise on an exposed defence frailties.

Stoke couldn’t of gone into this exciting fixture with better form after extending their unbeaten run in the league to seven after their flabbergasting win at Fratton Park last weekend. Stoke won a surprisingly exciting encounter with Portsmouth 2-1 by virtue of a last gasp Salif Diao strike. The Senegalese first goal in somewhere around seven years. That goal typified just how Stoke work in that every single one of them chip in with a match winning effort or goal. Diao’s winners down on the South coast was Stoke’s twelfth different goalscorer this season, with no-one in the Stoke squad even close to surpassing the five goal marker et alone reaching double figures.

We expect more of the same from Stoke, strong tackles, plenty of balls over the top and yet more danger from set-pieces. They are the most awkward team to play against in the league, perhaps even England, and you won’t find manager in the land that enjoys facing a robust and resilient Stoke City. Even the likes of Chelsea and Man Utd have struggled at The Brittania this season, although the defining difference being the pair both scraped out vital victories. Can Arsenal be the third ‘Top Four’ side this season to break Stoke hearts or will The Potters voodoo over The Gunners live on with another home win?

Arsenal

League Position: 3rd

Recent Form: DLLWW

This really is a fixture Arsene Wenger must dread nowadays on the football calender; a trip to The Brittania. Recently alone, Arsenal have been foiled by The Potters on Stoke territory, with Stoke producing one of the shocks of the season last year to win 2-0 in an encounter which really shook the Gunners, while more recently, Arsenal swiftly exited the FA Cup at the hands of Stoke City when losing 3-1 at The Brittania only last month. It’s a fixture The Gunners have drawn blanks in on recent attempts but it’s one Arsenal have no option but to win as anything else could leave them further trailing to leading duo at the top of the Premier League table. 

There is no getting away from it, this, as well as every fixture from now till the end of the season, is a must win game if Arsenal want to keep their name in the frame for the league title. Arsenal simply cannot afford to fall yet more points off the pace currently set by Chelsea. The Gunners, whom have now won back-to-back games in the league after two successive home victories over Liverpool and Sunderland, are six points behind Chelsea and could fall a further three if they don’t earn a well earned set of three points at The Brittania this Saturday.

Arsene Wenger won’t contemplate defeat as he knows it would prove costly, but he’s also aware that victory at The Brittania isn’t impossible especially as both Chelsea and Manchester United have won there this season. However, every side has a ‘bogey’ team and Arsenal’s is definitely Stoke City because the Gunners just can’t handle the ‘rustle & approach’ from Stoke. This Arsenal squad boasts some technically gifted players, some of the sleekest players on the planet, but the one thing they do lack is players with an abundance of strength and height, with Sol Campbell being about the only candidate with both and yet he’s nearly past it. It’s a major concern as it’s a proven fact that Arsenal cannot handle Stoke’s physical approach to games, it just rubs them up the wrong way and it’s even more alarming that one of the smartest tacticians in the game, Arsene Wenger, hasn’t come across a tactic or method to nullify Stoke’s main asset; their aerial prowess.

On the plus side on things, Arsenal should be in a confident mood when travelling to The Brittania stadium after two wins on the bounce. Victories over Liverpool (1-0) and Sunderland (2-0) were both made more impressive by two clean sheets and this should breathe some new found belief into an Arsenal defence which has not only struggled to compete with Stoke’s physical style in recent meetings but also against all the other teams in the league, with The Gunners defence not as strong and reliable as it once was. However, this is their first away outing since losing 2-0 at Chelsea so it remains to be seen how Arsenal will fare in their very next away outing, which is this trip to Stoke. The return of Nicklas Bendtner is a huge boost for Wenger as Arsenal were severely lacking numbers up front, although Cesc Fabregas has gone off the boil in recent weeks so perhaps a big performance is needed from their little Spanish maestro if Arsenal are to end their Brittania voodoo this Saturday.

Match Verdict: Stoke City to WIN – 5.50 SkyBet

Arsene Wenger still doesn’t have the players at his disposal to deal with Stoke’s aerial threat; tall, strong and good in the air, the attributes a defender needs to nullify Stoke’s aerial prowess – How can we back Arsenal when they look so exposed at the back? Moreover, they haven’t been playing great of late and were somewhat fortunate that Sunderland fluffed their lines on Saturday, else Arsene Wenger could have been left ruing yet more dropped points. Fortunately for Arsenal fans, your team got lucky, but we don’t think they’ll be as fortunate at The Brittania, a venue where Arsenal have lost on their previous two visits. The Potters have built up an impressive seven match unbeaten run, albeit just three were victories, but they know Arsenal’s flaws and have shown us on two occasions that they know how to exploit these weak spots in the Arsenal side. We have every faith in Tony Pulis and fancy Stoke to expose then exploit Arsenal#s weaknesses once again on Saturday as they set out to complete a stunning hat-trick of home wins against the Gunners.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 5.50 SkyBet

Draw – 3.60 Bet365

Arsenal – 1.73 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Stoke City to Score Two or More – 3.60 PaddyPower

Portsmouth V Stoke City

Saturday, 20^th February – 17:30 GMT (ESPN)

Portsmouth

League Position: 20th

Recent Form: DLLLD
 

While business off the pitch isn’t booming, far, far from it, there is still the small matter of earning points on the field which still needs to be finalised and a win on Saturday against a combative Stoke City would at least keep their Premiership flame alive. Defeat, however, could quite literally spell the end for Portsmouth as the club are already eight points adrift of safe land and could be further behind once the tax man has his wicked way with the club, possibly ending in a heavy points deduction if they’re not careful. It’s worrying times but the mood in camp will have brightened after their FA Cup and Derby day success at Southampton and perhaps this is when Portsmouth really kick their revival push into motion.

With twenty-five league games now done and dusted, although Pompey would wish for them back if they had a magic genie -and a few quid while they’re at it – Portsmouth have acquainted themselves rather nicely to the bottom of the league and haven’t budged since the start of the season. With points few and far between and actual wins at a premium, this Nile like gap between them and safety just seems to grow with every passing fixture. However, that could and would change were they to notch up a win this weekend in a fixture which is more than winnable but will require more than just an appearance from the Pompey players.

On Saturday, when they took on Southampton in the FA Cup, Portsmouth were sluggish out of the blocks and should have conceded a handful of goals within the first 30 minutes. However, they rode their luck and the Saints storm to eventually run out flattering 4-1 winners. However, if they were to produce a similarly bad start on Saturday against Stoke then they might not be as fortunate. The Potters, while they do possess a terrible away record this season of one away win in thirteen, are equipped to better such a dire run and could do so with an early goal as they love to sit and defend leads. With this in mind, it’s imperative that Portsmouth sprinting out of the blocks and don’t concede early on. The spirit in camp might have lifted a tad after their weekend victory down in Southampton but it’s still not as high as it should and probably not strong enough to claw back any sort of deficit.

Another factor which will have a big impact on how Portsmouth fare on Saturday’s is the fans and what type of support they plan on giving their team. We know matters on and off the pitch haven’t been rosy, with rosy being an understatement, but booing you side after just 30 minutes played with the score at 0-0 is not the solution and certainly won’t raise the confidence levels of an already drained squad. While survival looks almost impossible, there is still the smallest of chances that Portsmouth could avoid such a travesty and a win on Saturday could kick-start a decent run for Pompey. However, this isn’t possible without the support of the fans and we hope every single home fan gets right behind their team on Saturday as the players need all the support they can get at this moment in time.

Stoke City

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: WDDWD

Stoke will be buoyed by their recent draw with Man City in the FA Cup and will be supremely confident of registering just their second away win of the season when they travel down south to take on Portsmouth at Fratton Park. Just like their opponents, the statistics would indicate that they don’t have much chance of winning this game but the two sides predicament, Stoke’s being their shy away record, means both are actually capable of recording a big away win.  

The Potters weren’t expected to get a draw at The City of Manchester stadium on Saturday, but they did, nor were they expected to outplay their northern opponents, yet they did. In fact, Stoke were a tad unfortunate not to have on Saturday in a game they performed brilliantly in. They were tight, compact, well organised and extremely well disciplined at the back – all traits we’ve come to recognise with Stoke nowadays, whilst they were far more threatening in the final third than their illustrious opponents, whom rarely troubled Sorenson in the Stoke goal. The draw was a disappointing result in the end but it does leave Stoke with a home replay and one they will fancy their chances in back in front of is expected to be a capacity Stoke support.

While their weekend display was a pleasing one, it was a rare positive away performance from what has generally been a poor Stoke side away from The Brittania. In twelve away fixtures, Stoke have managed just the one win, although that was a sublime 1-0 victory at Tottenham Hotspur. However, with that bizarre win to one side, Stoke have been very poor away from home, especially in front of goal. We aren’t too sure which statistic is worse – The one where they’ve won just once in twelve games of the one that reads five goals in twelve away games. Both make for horrendous reading but we suppose it’s the latter which raises the alarm bells; as the old adage goes “You can’t win games i you don’t score’ and Stoke certainly don’t score frequently enough.

Stoke have failed to score in over half of their away outings thus far (7/12), but surely they won’t have a better chance to bolster their lacklustre goal tally than a trip to Portsmouth against the team at the bottom of the league. Moreover, a two game unbeaten run away from home is something they can build upon, with draws at Sunderland & Wigan Athletic leaving The Potters on the verge of a three match unbeaten away run should they avoid defeat on Saturday.

Match Verdict: Portsmouth to WIN – 2.50 Boylesports

To be honest, both these sides could record a win on Saturday. Stoke haven’t been the same side on the road that has seen them pick up plenty of points back home at The Brittania, and so their claims aren’t as solid as perhaps they should be. Portsmouth, however, have been terrible all round but are running out of glorious opportunities, like this one, to actually win games. The Southerners did prove on Saturday that they can weather a storm and that with patience comes results. The scoreline was flattering on Portsmouth but the emphatic score should have been the boost in confidence the squad needed ahead of some crucial Premiership fixtures. If they can be just as clinical in front of goal, something which has been an ever present problem in their play this season, then a vital set of three points could be all theirs.

Match Odds:

Portsmouth – 2.50 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Stoke City – 3.20 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Jamie O’Hara Anytime Scorer – 11/2 WilliamHill

Manchester City V Stoke City

Saturday, 13^th February – 17:15 GMT (ITV1)

Manchester City

FA Cup Outright Odds: 4/1 totesport

City were drawn against a tough opponent in a robust Stoke City and will need to show their fighting qualities if they are to successfully fend off the challenge from Stoke City. The reward for the richest club in the land will be a spot in the Quarter-Finals, but the owners, manager, players and the fans will all have their eyes firmly set on Wembley, especially as the FA Cup is now their last chance to book a date with the capital after their Semi-Final heartache in the Carling Cup.

City have shown this competition the utmost respect by fielding the strongest possible side in each of their previous round matches. It’s quite clear that the owners want to see some form of visual reward for their money, which is fair enough after having spent over £200M during the summer on bolstering City’s forward options, and they’re pinning their hopes on Roberto Mancini delivering the goods. So far, the Italian has done a good job, keeping the club in touching distance of the Champions League places and maintaining their run in this competition. We were especially impressed with the side he put out in the last round when City beat Scunthorpe 4-2 at Glanford Park in a tie some other foreign managers would have fielded a weakened side, and have done in some cases, ahead of some big forthcoming clashes. Mancini opted against such a tactic, which just goes to show how much a strong run in the FA Cup means to him and to the club.

City head into this cup fixture in impressive form and in the knowledge that they are hot on the heels of a fourth place finish after victory over Bolton Wanderers in midweek, winning 2-0. The win lifted City into 5^th position in the table, level on points with fourth placed Liverpool, meaning City can rest easy that their position in the table is a prominent one during the FA Cup weekend. Both the manager and the players can now focus solely on their next task at hand which is seeing off an awkward Stoke City at The City of Manchester stadium. City have, though, already beaten The Potters at home this season in a 2-0 win back in December. Tevez scored the winner that day and he was on the score sheet in midweek as he took his tally for the season to 19 goals. He has, however, yet to score in the FA Cup this season after failing to start in either of City’s previous round victories.

City, at a ground where they’ve been more than accomplished in the past season or two, should be far too strong for even a tough, workmanlike Stoke City on Saturday. They are one of just two teams in the Premiership to boast an unbeaten record at home this season, with the other being league leaders Chelsea, whilst notching up an impressive 75% winning percentage at home. They’re on a five match winning run in the league, although most weren’t against outstanding sides, with only a small glitch being City’s two previous round victories coming away from Manchester, which, to be honest, should only be seen as a big positive as they return home.

Stoke City

FA Cup Outright Odds: 50/1 SkyBet

Stoke may have shot down one of the big boys of the tournament when they gunned down Arsenal at The Brittania, winning 2-0 in the previous round, but they will have it all to do in this tie as they travel to Manchester to take on the country’s biggest spenders in Manchester City. The Potters have already tried their luck at The City of Manchester stadium this season and failed miserably, losing 2-0. Will their exploits in the previous round against The Gunners inspire them to avenge that defeat or will they crumble once again to the might of Man City?

We can only suggest it will be the latter, what with Stoke possessing one terrible looking away record. The Potters have converted just one of their twelve away league fixtures into a win, with that solitary victory coming away at White Hart lane against Tottenham, one of thee most absurd results of the season. They have built up a mini vein of away form though, having gone unbeaten in their last two outings, but both were draws and against teams seriously struggling for form, so we wouldn’t dare read into too much into those results. Instead, we would rather focus on the run that came before that when Stoke lost four away games on the spin, failing to score in three of them.

It’s also worth pointing out that Stoke have been found wanting in front of goal this season, and of late for that matter. At home it hasn’t been as bad but away from fortress Britannia has been a totally different kettle of fish for The Potters, with Stoke failing to score in five of their last six away ventures. A Tuncay header in midweek at Wigan ended their 520 minute run without an away goal, but we reckon another baron run could open up after their visit to Man City.

How they got here?

Manchester City

Beat Middlesborough 1-0 (A)

Beat Scunthorpe United 4-2 (A)

Stoke City

Beat York City 3-1 (H)

Beat Arsenal 3-1 (H)

Match Verdict: Manchester City to WIN – 1.50 PaddyPower

We can’t see past a home win, probably a comfortable one, what with City looking impressive of late and Stoke struggling for goals on their travels. City have an array of striking talent at their disposal, with both Carlos Tevez & Emanuel Adebayor scoring in City’s midweek win over Bolton. The two players are complete opposites but that’s a positive in that the opposing defence has too much to think about when City are on the attack, whether it’s watching Tevez for his faint touches and movement, or Adebayor with his aerial threat. On paper, and after watching the pair in their recent games, City look a class above Stoke at present, and this should tell on Saturday.

Match Odds:

Manchester City – 1.50 PaddyPower

Draw – 4.30 Bet365

Stoke City – 8.50 SkyBet

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Emmanuel Adebayor FGS – 4/1 PaddyPower

Stoke City V Blackburn Rovers

Saturday, 6^th February – 15:00 GMT

Stoke City

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: LLWDD 

After shaky December, Tony Pulis has steadied the Stoke ship and has now guided The Potters to a three game run without defeat in the Premiership. Amply accompanied by a fruitful run in the FA Cup. The players appeared as though they could be losing their way in terms of organisation and discipline on the field, but their latest display was a lesson in how to make things as difficult as possible for your opponents and Stoke are the masters of that. 

Stoke didn’t really even have to battle on Monday night when they held Sunderland to a 0-0 draw at The Stadium of Light. The game was a dull affair, which was to be expected, with chances few and far betwee, but the point will be seen as a very good point on Stoke’s behalf and they can now travel back home with a smile on their faces as they return to what has been a happy hunting ground for the Potters this season, with five of their six league victories come there. They were, however, held in their last home fixture, a 1-1 draw with Liverpool in which they were fortunate to claim a point, but expect nothing less than a roaring reception for the Stoke players from their fans as the faithful roar their side on to what will hopefully be Stoke’s sixth home win of the campaign.

Tony Pulis wasn’t a busy man in January and so no new exciting new faces will emerge at The Brittania, although the exception being Asmir Begovic from Portsmouth. A signing which won’t have the fans in raptures. In fact, Pulis did well just to keep hold of some of his prized assets – James Beattie being one of them, although the former England front man has fallen out of favour with the Gaffer since their bust up and has barely had a look in since. Instead, Ricardo Fuller, a striker with an abundance of strength and an awkward customer for any defence. However, even with Fuller now getting the special treatment from Pulis, Stoke are still lacking goals, even at home, with the Potters finding the net on just 19 occasions this season. 15, though, have come at The Brittania so they are more accomplished in front of goal at home rather than away from their comfort zone.

In our eyes, Stoke are the firm favourites as they are one of the toughest cookies around when playing on their own patch. They don’t give their opponents any time on the ball. They give you a tonne of hassle for the full 90 minutes and they seem to find their feet a lot faster in home games, which might be why they’ve scored far more goals at home than away this season. The only problem when backing Stoke is guessing where the goals will come from, which is a fools game when doing so with Stoke. Just about everyone has chipped in with a goal meaning everyone has played a pivotal role for Stoke this season and it’s been a team effort as to why they occupy such a healthy position – 12^th.

Blackburn Rovers

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: DLWWD 

Sam Allardyce has now guided Blackburn to a mini unbeaten run after three games unbeaten, their latest being a 0-0 draw with relegation threatened West Ham on Saturday, Since the turn of the year, Rovers have lost just once in the league and have picked up seven points from a possible twelve. The points are finally coming in thick and fast for this hard working club and now they’ve been presented with another prosperous fixture, a tough one nevertheless, away at Stoke City at The Brittania. ‘Fortress Britannia’ as the natives like to call it. 

This recent good run of results for Blackburn has seen them rise several places in the table and enforce an seven point gap between themselves and the bottom three, with Rovers no longer part of the stragglers association. However, a seven point cushion can easily decrease with a few bad results and complacency could now kick in as Blackburn enter unfamiliar terrain. The Brittania won’t be that much of a problem for Rovers, although they were narrowly beaten 1-0 there last season, but more about this run of theirs. 

No, it’s actually this run of good form which concerns us as where some clubs would see such a run as a platform to build upon, Rovers may go in the complete opposite direction as they aren’t used to such a feat. In fact, Blackburn have now equalled their longest unbeaten spell in the league for the season after they previously went three games without losing from the end of November to mid December. However, their fourth clash seen Rovers fall foul to defeat and the pattern of form back then is identical to their current one. Before Rovers relinquished their unbeaten tag at the fourth hurdle back in December, Blackburn had previously earned a 0-0 draw away at Hull City. Rovers were then beaten in their very next away outing at Birmingham and the same feat could occur on Saturday as Blackburn drew their recent league game 0-0 away from home at West Ham United – A team in close proximity to Hull City, a team they drew 0-0 with before they lost their next fixture back in December.  

The voodoo above could be nonsense and perhaps just a coincidence but the fact remains that Blackburn aren’t used to going this long without losing a game and shades of complacency could creep into their play at The Brittania. Moreover, Rovers have generally been very poor travellers this season and this factor is highlighted in their abysmal away record of 1-3-8, with Rovers losing nearly 2/3 of their away encounters this season. Also, their away goal difference of 8-28 highlights their away flaws even further, with their 8 away goals scored up their in terms of the worst away ‘Goals For’ in the league.

Match Verdict: Stoke City to WIN – 2.25 Boylesports

Stoke just seem to come alive at The Brittania, with the fans especially outstanding in roaring them on towards a victory. Were it not for their impressive results, or their equally impressive performances, at The Brittania then Stoke would be in a far more precarious position than they currently are. For the time being they are sitting rather cosily in 12^th position and we fancy their chances on Saturday of reinforcing their mid-table stance by putting Blackburn to the sword right from the off. A robust and hard working Stoke City get the nod in this contest.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 2.25 Boylesports

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Blackburn Rovers – 3.30 PaddyPower

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Stoke City to WIN to NIL – 3.50 SkyBet

Sunderland V Stoke City

Sunday, 31^st January – 20:00 GMT (ESPN)

Sunderland

League Position: 13th

Recent Form: LDDLL

Steve Bruce has been doing his utmost in getting Sunderland off this win-less track, attempting to solve this bizzare Sunderland riddle, but to no avail. Yet another defeat, this time at Goodison Park to Everton, extended their win drought to nine games leaving the Black Cats without a league win since the middle of November. Sunderland are desperate for a piece of luck, or a bit of good fortune, anything that will end this disastrous run of form as Sunderland’s season rapidly turns from bad to worse as now the relegation zone looms over them.

For now, Sunderland are five positions above the drop zone but there is just three points separating them from Burnley in 18^th position. A defeat on Monday, in front of the ESPN cameras, what would be their twelfth of the campaign, would see yet more sides leapfrogging them in the table. A win, however, would see them jump above their match day opponents, Stoke, into 12^th position and put some breathing space between them and the drop, which is imperative for Sunderland after they spent a fair bit during the summer and relegation from the Premiership is unthinkable.   

Sunderland were very poor on Wednesday when they crashed to their second defeat in succession at Everton. The 2-0 defeat came a little over a week after they were thumped 7-2 by Chelsea, and that thumping clearly had an impact, a negative one, as the Black Cats were poor at Goodison Park and didn’t cause Tim Howard in the Everton goal anywhere near enough problems. However, that was the first time they had failed to find the net in four games, even putting two past Chelsea, and so perhaps the confidence has even been drained from their main asset, their inform striker Darren Bent.

Bent, who has been head and shoulders above the rest at Sunderland this season, has 14 league goals to his name and is going through an enjoyable spell under Steve Bruce. The England hopeful has scored some big goals for Sunderland this season, scoring his sides winner against both Arsenal & Liverpool, and now Steve Bruce needs his most expensive Sunderland signing to come good once again with a goal or two on Monday night. Bent has scored in three of his last four starts at The Stadium of Light and should be a good bet to bolster his tally for the season at home to Stoke City, although winning the game is far more important.

Stoke City

League Position: 12th

Recent Form: LLLWD

Stoke will be full of confidence after putting two fabulous results under their belts. Their last appearance in the league was a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at The Brittania, while they bettered that result by beating Arsenal 3-1 in the FA Cup last Saturday, also at The Brittania. Both were sensational results, more the latter in fairness, but now Stoke go on their travels seeking out their first away win since October. The Potters have also won just once in eight so their situation in regards to winning league games isn’t too dissimilar to Sunderland.  

This is a big game for Stoke as defeat would see them fall at least one position, possibly more depending on other results over the weekend. The Potters are currently two points above Sunderland in the table and would only need a draw to keep Sunderland at bay. However, a win just might be enough to lift them back into the top half of the table and that’s a worthy incentive for any side. However, to do so they will need to double their away tally, with Stoke’s only away victory for the season coming at Tottenham, of all the places.

Stoke have struggled to adapt to life on the road this season and their one, solitary away victory simply highlights their inability to win games away from fortress Britannia. In fact, it’s got so bad for Stoke on the road that they’ve now lost three away games on the spin after suffering defeats at Arsenal (2-0), Aston Villa (1-0) and Man City (2-0). It must be said that all three were tough venues and games they didn’t stand a great chance of getting a lot from but the concern for us is their poor goalscoring ratio. In ten outings thus far, Stoke have found the net just four times. A tally even worse than Portsmouth and that takes some doing. Their last away strike was at The KC, home of a hapless Hull City, whilst it’s been a little under 390 minutes since Stoke fans last celebrated an away goal.

Stoke’s away form is terrible but Sunderland have lost their swagger in recent weeks and so Stoke could be the ideal team to give them a knock-out blow. Still, we don’t fancy their chances, Stoke’s that is, in this game as their lack of fire-power should tell in this contest as we feel they will need to outscore Sunderland, and we can’t see that happening. For Stoke to knick a result they would need to keep Sunderland at bay for the full 90 minutes. Keep an inform Darren Bent quiet in front of his own fans – Very unlikely. Stoke may have a physical edge going into this encounter but they look understrength in the forward department and could be overpowered at The Stadium of Light.

Match Verdict: Sunderland to WIN – 2.15 BlueSquare

Stoke, who have lost their last three away league games, are there for the taking for Sunderland to finally end their dire run without a win in the league. It’s been far too long, nine games in fact, since Sunderland last came out of a Premiership fixture victorious and they won’t get many better opportunities to win a game of football all season than a home fixture with a poor travelling Stoke. If we’re honest, we feel two goals would be enough to seal the win as Stoke have been woeful in front of goal away from home this season, and with Darren Bent scoring in three of his last three home appearances, we fancy Sunderland to put their win less run to bed.

Match Odds:

Sunderland – 2.15 BlueSquare

Draw – 3.40 SkyBet

Stoke City – 3.80 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Pick: Darren Bent FGS – 5.50 totesport

Stoke City V Arsenal

Sunday, 24^th January – 13:30

Stoke City

FA Cup Progress: BEAT Stoke City (H3-1)

Stoke fans won’t have been cheering when they seen they plucked Arsenal out of the hat for their fourth round tie. For a club like Stoke where they take on the high and mighty week-in, week-out, they would have been disappointed with drawing Arsenal and would have wanted a far easier team than the Gunners in a bid to delve deep into the tournament, but the Potter’s have beaten Arsene Wenger’s men once at The Brittania already, claiming a 2-1 victory in the league last season, so there is nothing to say they can’t replicate that on Sunday.

Looking back to Stoke’s 2-1 victory over Arsenal last season, Tony Pulis will probably need to deploy a similar kind of set up in that he’s need to disrupt Arsenal’s rhythm. Once Arsenal get the ball down and start playing the type of football that has brought them so many admirers they are close to unstoppable. However, Stoke used their ‘rustle & hustle’ approach last season and it worked a charm as they didn’t allow Arsenal to settle at any point. Stoke were superior in all the crucial battles; the 50/50’s, work rate, endeavour and, more importantly, in the air. Stoke nullified Arsenal’s biggest asset, their vastly superior technical ability, by using their main attribute, their aerial prowess, to their advantage. The were first to every set-piece and imposed themselves when in Arsenal’s penalty area, which is definitely something they will need to do again on Sunday if they are to have any chance of progressing.

The danger for Stoke is if they don’t do exactly what I mentioned above as Arsenal tore them to pieces at The Emirates earlier this season because Stoke gave them far too much time on the ball and the 2-0 scoreline was actually very generous on Stoke’s part. Arsenal battered the Stoke goal for the full 90 minutes, with Sorenson in the Stoke goal pulling off some stunning saves and some last ditch defending keeping the score respectable. Arsenal ran the show through their midfield because Stoke didn’t make full use of their aerial prowess and their strength, two of their strongest attributes which brought them so much success last season. Unfortunately, despite the fans wanting to watch some attractive football, Stoke won’t win this contest if they play to feet. This is a battle which can only be won in the air as far as Stoke are concerned. 

I do, though, have some bad news in that Rory Delap will miss this game with a groin injury. He was the sole provider and maker of Stoke’s goals in last seasons 2-1 victory over Arsenal and his absence will be welcomed by the Arsenal camp as his long throws are a nuisance to defend against. However, Stoke still dead-ball situations which they can use to their advantage and I hear Salif Diao has been practising his long-throws in case Delap should fall foul to injury… so all hope is not lost.

Stoke have, however, lost nearly as many games at The Brittania at the half-way point in this season than they did throughout the entirety of last season. Stoke lost just four of nineteen league games at home last season but have already fallen to three defeats in their opening eleven this season, which is a massive negative. Also, two of those three defeats did come against ‘Big Four’ opponents in Chelsea (1-2) and Man Utd (0-2), and they were lucky to earn a point against Liverpool at the weekend after Robert Huth scrambled home a 90^th minute equaliser to save them from falling to their fourth home defeat of the campaign.  

Arsenal

FA Cup Progress: BEAT West Ham United (A1-2)

Arsenal won’t hold fond memory’s of their last trip to The Brittania after they were beaten by The Potters 2-1 on their last visit, a defeat which clearly rocked Arsenal at the time. The Gunners, possible through immaturity, simply weren’t strong enough nor equipped to handle the physical approach from Stoke that day but they should be good for that harsh lesson as the fifth round beckons for an in form Arsenal side. 

Arsenal, despite a very shaky opening 20 minutes or so, did claim all the spoils in their contest with Bolton Wanderers in midweek. Arsene Wenger watched on from the sidelines as his Arsenal side, who knew they would have gone to the summit of the table with a win, started the game in a nervous manner, conceding after just 5 minutes but then conceding a penalty shortly after to leave Arsenal with a mountain to climb just to salvage some points. However, the pleasing thing come the end was the character of the Arsenal players and the desire they displayed in the second half to not only claw back the deficit but also win the game… by two clear goals, which was staggering.  

All in all, Wednesday night was a good day at the office as Arsenal were victorious. Their start was a concern but the way they finished the game was superb. However, the Gunners were fortunate to be at The Emirates that night, at home where all it needed was a goal to enlighten the fans and get them back on their side, roaring Arsenal to victory. A similarly bad start at The Brittania could be catastrophic as rarely do Stoke conceded that many goals and they are one of the toughest teams to beat at The Brittania so a 2-0 lead for The Potters could make them uncatchable. Still, that shouldn’t happen and we expect another tight game, but one which should go the way of the Gunners as some of their football at the present time is breathtaking and a joy to watch.

The one trait Arsenal will need plenty of is spirit, and this young but highly talented Arsenal squad shown plenty of that on Wednesday night and they should be extra motivated to show off their new found fighting belief this Sunday. It’s been far too long since the fans last had something to cheer about and a long and fruitful run in the cup would do a great deal in keeping the fans preoccupied and happy. However, Arsenal are vulnerable to intimidation so it’s crucial Wenger gets his starting eleven fired up for this clash as this will be a battle.

Match Verdict: Arsenal to WIN – 1.85 Expekt.com

The Stoke fans need no excuse to get right behind their team but we feel it will be in vein as Arsenal are the team to beat in the form book. Their Wednesday night fightback will have brought the Arsenal camp closer together and it was pleasing to see that Arsenal could come through a battle, and a battle is what they’ll get at The Brittania. Stoke’s best chance of overcoming the Gunners will be at home so they will give it everything but the only way we can see them scoring is through set- plays, and we’re sure Arsene Wenger knows all about Stoke and their danger from set-piece by now. We fancy Arsenal superior technical ability to outshine Stoke’s battling qualities as the Gunners march on in this tournament.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 5.00 SkyBet

Draw – 3.50 PaddyPower

Arsenal – 1.85 Expekt.com

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Arsenal to WIN to NIL – 3.00 PaddyPower

Stoke City V Liverpool

Saturday, 16^th January – 12:45 GMT (Sky Sports 1)

Stoke City

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: DLLLW

The Potters frustrated the Reds’ when the pair last and only Premiership clash at The Brittania last season, with Stoke holding out for a more than deserved 0-0 draw. But, however, with Stoke getting smashed off the park at Anfield earlier in the season, losing 4-0, is the tide slowly turning against them as opposing managers finally begin to realise how predictable a team Stoke are becoming, or will Tony Pulis’ attempt at playing pretty, on the floor football finally pay off for good against a travelling Liverpool this Saturday?

Stoke’s first season in the Premiership seen them play in a one dimensional fashion in that they focused completely on their main asset which was height. The plan was to earn a set-play from any which way possible in order to get the big guys forward. This paid dividends whether it was from a Matthew Etherington corner or a Rory Delap throw-in, so it was no surprise that Stoke maintained this ‘rustle & bustle’ approach throughout the course of the season as it kept them in the division. However, being the wise old codger Pulis is he is now trying to convert Stoke into a more attractive outfit which, against a team like Liverpool who could potentially play them into the ground, could be a catastrophic tactic.

We personally feel Tony Pulis will opt for a bit of both this Saturday, using Etherington down the flank to whip in some glorious crosses whilst also looking for corners. However, although Etherington does have the potential to be a thorn in Liverpool’s right-hand side this Saturday, there aren’t too many others who would cause the Reds’ too many problems in terms of beating an opponent with pace and skill, so perhaps the route 1 method they were so renowned for last season should be the chosen style of play instead.

Stoke, to the credit of the manager, have quickly become a very solid outfit and a team many hate facing at The Brittania. They work their socks off in front of a capacity support, they don’t give you any time nor space and are far more intimidating in their own back yard. However, despite being a tricky customer for all of the top four this season, Stoke have been beaten in each of their two clashes with ‘Big Four’ opponents this season; losing 2-1 to Chelsea via a 95^th Malouda strike while suffering a 2-0 defeat against Man Utd. Perhaps the Potter’s luck is finally wearing thin…?

Liverpool

League Position: 7th

Recent Form: LWLWW

It’s a fragile Liverpool that travels down to Stoke on Saturday off the back of a morale bashing defeat in the Cup in midweek. The Reds’, of whom have already had to wave goodbye to Champions League football and are 12 points off the pace in the league, swiftly exited the FA Cup on Wednesday night in what was their last chance at some real silverware. However, the problem for them now is that the club are struggling with large sums of debt and finishing outside the top four is unthinkable, but with Liverpool four points adrift of the top four they will now know that any more slip ups could be costly as their abysmal season becomes centred solely around just finishing above 16 other teams.

After Liverpool’s demise in the FA Cup, to what is a Reading side struggling in the Championship, one can only assume that the Liverpool camp is at it’s lowest right now in terms of morale and spirit. That was the clubs last chance at some creditable silverware as their only real adventure now lies in the Europa League, a second tier competition for European competitors. That’s not good enough for a club of Liverpool’s stature, nowhere near, and questions are finally being asked by the Liverpool fans themselves about whether Rafael Benitez is the right man for the job and all this speculation will only hinder the confidence of the players and their concentration levels ahead of some big games in the league.

As far as this game goes, Liverpool will have a real fight on their hands for any share of the points, especially now that Stoke will take great pleasure in their recent disappointment. The Reds’ had to battle hard just to earn a draw on their last visit to The Brittania but, after a dire week of football, a draw might be the best they can hope for in this contest, although the fans will now be expecting nothing less than a win. However, the fans hopes of seeing a Liverpool win will look even slimmer after hearing that their side has won just two of it’s last seven away games.

Since the start of October, a 2-0 win at Goodison against Everton & a fortunate 1-0 victory at Aston Villa are Liverpool’s only away wins in seven outings. The latter result, though, was actually their last outing in the league but it did come several days before the new year, over three weeks ago, so that win won’t be as fresh in the memory as perhaps Rafael Benitez would of liked as the players certainly need some inspiration right now. They’ve won just four away games all season after ten away ventures and the fact that they’ve suffered five of their seven defeats away from Anfield just reiterates how vulnerable Liverpool are when on the road this season.

However, the most concerning thing about this Liverpool side is they are so dull, boring and damn well predictable. All of their football goes down the centre of the park, with width a thing of the past. They also look a team which can easily be bullied and against one of the more physically demanding teams in Stoke City, Liverpool really could come a cropper, once again. They don’t have any bulky players, there is a distinct lack of height and their marking from set-pieces is often non-existent – which is a huge negative against one of the best teams from set-pieces in the land. Pepe Reina was absent in Liverpool’s pathetic cup exit on Wednesday with a small injury but I pray, for the Liverpool fans at least, that he returns else this could be another horror show.

Head-to-Head:

Stoke City W: 0 Liverpool W: 1 Draws: 2

• Liverpool won the last encounter between the two in emphatic style, smashing Stoke 4-0 at Anfield.

•  Liverpool’s only victory against Stoke City came at Anfield.

• Stoke, after three attempts, has yet to score a goal against Liverpool, failing twice at Anfield and once at The Brittania.

Match Verdict: Draw – 3.50 BetFred

At a tough of odds-on, we couldn’t touch Liverpool with a complimentary free bet. Their displays, not only on Wednesday but throughout the season, have been outstandingly bad and their spirit in that Liverpool dressing room will be at its lowest for time. To add to their woes, Fernando Torres, Steven Gerrard, Yossi Benayoun and Pepe Reina could all miss the trip through injuries. Stoke, however, will be brimming with confidence as they won’t get a better opportunity to beat another of the so called ‘Big Four’ then this visit of Liverpool and we expect the Potters to make a bright start. This game will be decided on set-pieces though – How well Stoke attack from set-plays and how poorly Liverpool defend them. The danger for Stoke is that Liverpool, regardless of their lull in confidence, can still pack a punch when going forward so they mustn’t get too carried away when committing men forward.

Match Odds:

Stoke City – 5.00 BetFred

Draw – 3.50 BetFred

Liverpool – 1.91 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Both teams to score – 2.00 WilliamHill

Burnley V Stoke City

Saturday, 9^th January – 15:00 GMT

MATCH POSTPONED – We regrettably have to inform you that the following game has been postponed due to severe weather conditions. Although the pitch has been confirmed as ‘playable’ the surrounding area; roads, pathways, steps etc… have been deemed a hazard and a risk to those fans who will attend the game. 

Burnley

League Position: 14th

Recent Form: DDLDL

We were mightily impressed with Burnley’s clinical display away at MK Don’s on Saturday in a fixture many were tipping up as a serious potential shocker. However, Burnley gave MK backers no chance with a comfortable 2-0 win at Stadium MK, one which led to them drawing a nasty tie away at Liverpool/Reading. Nonetheless, it’s good for the camp to progress in the cup,but the league, and surviving, is the priority for Burnley this season and Owen Coyle, providing he is still at the helm come Saturday, will need his players to concentrate fully on the task at hand this weekend in what will be one of their toughest home examinations this year for Burnley

Its common knowledge that Burnley, due to their horrendous away form, are relying heavily and solely on their form back at Turf Moor for survival this season, and a game such as this, against a Stoke City who could very well be in the mixer themselves, is extremely important to their chances. We wouldn’t go as far as to say that this is a relegation six-pointer, as for one; we don’t really see Stoke going down this season, and two; neither are in a too precarious position at present, although the fact that Burnley are just two points off the drop is a slight concern and a surprise considering they are 14^th in the league table.

The league table and Burnley’s position in it are misleading as their position would let on that they’re comfortable. That is far from the case and a defeat this weekend could actually see them drop into the bottom three for, what I think will be, the first time this season. However, their form at home has kept them a afloat this season but a lengthy run without a win at Turf Moor would have surely sent the alarm bells ringing. Four successive draws, all by a 1-1 scoreline, against Aston Villa, Burnley, Arsenal & Bolton, are actually very creditable results, with the exception of the Bolton game, but the points will be disappointing, nonetheless.

Owen Coyle will have to look for inspiration from their last home victory, a 2-0 win over a struggling Hull City back in October. They weren’t all that impressive in that game and have actually been playing a lot better of late so a win should be around the corner. However, Stoke are a physical side, whereas Burnley prefer to play in a more glamours way, and we aren’t quite sure which style of play will prevail in this contest, especially as Burnley could be found wanting from set-plays.

Stoke City

League Position: 10th

Recent Form: DLLLW 

The Stoke fans were blessed with a fair few goals when their Potters side went potty at The Brittania on Tuesday night. Stoke had previously only managed 15 league goals since the start of the season but found themselves 3-0 up by half-time against a Fulham side that had previously claimed the scalp of both Liverpool & Man Utd. However, Stoke nearly shot themselves in the foot when they allowed Fulham to pull two goals back and gave the home fans an undeserved shock before the ref finally blew for full-time.

Those three points against Fulham, three vital points, was Stoke’s first since the 22nd November, and Stoke were on a six match run without a win before their free-scoring success over Fulham. The result will have been very pleasing, their first half performance was a delight, but the way they collapsed and allowed Fulham back into the game in the second half will have been a major concern for Tony Pulis as you would expect any side, no matter how small, to close out a game comfortably with a three goal advantage.

With the shaky end to their last game aside, Tony Pulis & Stoke now have a platform to build on as they aim to get back onto a winning run by securing their first set of back-to-back league wins since mid October. Although Stoke were strapped for wins before the new year, that win over Fulham did lift the Potters back into the upper half of the table into 10th position and they look a very good bet to avoid the drop this season. However, they may very well come a cropper at Turf Moor at a venue where not only have their opponents been considerably strong for the entire season but also a setting where Stoke have struggled to score goals, but haven’t fallen to defeat at Turf Moor in their previous two visits. 

Although the Fulham win did end their overall winless rout, Stoke still have to contend with the fact that they haven’t won away from the Brittania in their last five outings. A run which stretches back to the end of October. It’s also worth pointing out that before their high-scoring heroics against Fulham, Stoke had failed to score in five of their previous six league games and whose last goal away goal came at Hull City, back in October, five outings ago.

In our opinion, Stoke cannot be touched at this present time, especially on the road. However, their goal scoring antics of Tuesday night may have lit the touch paper and we could find ourselves praising their strikers once again come our next set of previews. Although, we still can’t see that happening as we fancy Stoke’s winless away run to dwindle on.

Head-to-Head:

These two sides have never met in the Premiership, due to this being Burnley’s first season in the Premiership. Stoke, however, have a full top flight season under their belts so will this extra experience count in this tight contest.  

Match Verdict: Burnley to WIN – 2.30 BlueSquare

Home form is crucial in Burnley’s chances of avoiding the drop this season and a game with Stoke City takes on even more significance as it’s one that’s more than winnable. The Clarets play far more attractive, attacking football at Turf Moor, whereas Stoke have struggled to pick up points on the road of late and we’re sticking our pennies on the team with the strong home record, although a win for Burnley would be their first at Turf Moor in five games. It’s an intriguing match up, as Burnley will aim to play their football on the floor while Stoke will look to dominate in the air, but Burnley will create more chances than their travelling opponents and it will just be a case of whether they can take a few of them. If so, then we believe the three points will be there’s.

Match Odds:

Burnley – 2.30 BlueSquare

Draw – 3.30 totesport

Stoke City – 3.40 Bet365

SoccerBetting Value Tip: Graham Alexander Anytime Goalscorer – 6.50 WilliamHill