Manchester City forward Edin Dzeko could start despite an injury scare during his side's 3-1 win over Liverpool on Monday while strike partner Sergio Aguero is in line for his first start of the Premier League season. However, new signing Eliaquim Mangala is not yet ready to play. Stoke should have Bojan Krkic at their disposal with the on-loan forward returning to training on Thursday following a rib injury. Phil Bardsley is a doubt with a knee problem while defensive colleague Geoff Cameron also faces a spell on the sidelines with an injury of his own.
Key Stats
Manchester City have won seven successive league games at home to Stoke, including all six previous encounters in the Premier League without conceding a goal. City have managed seven consecutive league wins - two shy of their club record, set in 1912. Stoke's last top-flight away win in this fixture came in September 1980. Their most recent victory at Manchester City was in October 1997 when Ray Wallace scored the only goal in the second tier. Stoke's ninth-place finish last season was their highest in the top flight since 1975. They had never previously finished higher than 11th in the Premier League. (BBC)
Likely Line-Ups
Man City Hart, Zabaleta, Kompany, Demicheles, Clichy, Fernando, Yaya Toure, Silva, Nasri, Aguero, Jovetic Stoke City Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Whelan, Adam, NZonzi, Bojan, Ireland, Diouf
Match Preview
Stoke don't have the best record in the world against Manchester City. Six defeats at City and six at Manchester United is their dismal record against the two Manchester sides since their promotion to the Premier League in 2008 and the Potters haven't scored a single goal against their weekend opponents during that period. Former City manager Mark Hughes said his Stoke team were "very much in the game" off the back of their 1-0 defeat last season but they will have to do more than that if they are to achieve their first away win in this fixture since September 1980. The Citizens have started the campaign in fine fettle and made a statement of intent last Monday with their 3-1 victory over rivals Liverpool. And with results like that it looks like this one is only going to end one way, with Manuel Pellegrini's men the clear favourites to chalk up their third consecutive win of the season and move to within touching distance of a club record-equalling nine successive league wins, having racked up seven in a row so far. Pellegrini might have a selection headache here when it comes to picking his strikers. Sergio Aguero is in contention to make his first start of the season, Edin Dzeko represents another option while it would be somewhat harsh to leave two-goal hero Stevan Jovetic out of the line-up following his heroics against Liverpool. These are the types of problems most Premier League managers would want to have and it's for this reason why we think the home side will have too much for the visitors here. Prediction: 3-0