Stoke City vs Norwich City - Match Preview

Stoke City welcome Norwich City to the Britannia Stadium this afternoon on the back of their first win in four games at the expense of Swansea City on Sunday. Tony Pulis will no doubt be hoping that Swansea€™s fellow Premiership newcomers Norwich City will succumb to a similar fate, however when the Potters were dispatching the Swans, Paul Lambert€™s team were putting up one hell of a fight against Manchester United, and were unfortunate to end up on the wrong side of a 2-1 scoreline at Carrow Road. The Canaries will be spurred on by the fact that Jonny Howson and Ryan Bennett, both recruited in the January window but unable to pull on the yellow and green shirt as of yet, (Howson has been injured and Bennett was undergoing a month long spell at former club Peterborough United), are finally available, and are likely to make the bench. Grant Holt is also on terrific form, converting his 10th goal of the season against United, and must be wandering whether his reputation as a €˜lower league striker€™ (which, by logic, he€™s surely long since dispelled) will forever prevent him from getting an England call up. Wayne Rooney is the only Englishman to score more goals than Holt in the league this season. Nevertheless he will give Stoke €˜a taste of their own medicine€™, in that he won€™t be afraid to put himself about €“ a style of play Pulis no doubt admires, but don€™t let this detract from the fact that he has considerable technical ability. The home side will be encouraged by the fact that Norwich have won but one of the last fourteen meetings between the two, and with Europe as a mere memory, the Potters can finally get their hitherto rather disappointing (in terms of league performance anyway) season back on track. Despite a relatively poor run of form, if Stoke can secure three points this afternoon, they could leapfrog Norwich, who sit two points and four positions ahead of them in 8th.

Team News

Stoke City: Mamady Sidibe is injured and Glenn Whelan is doubtful, but will probably play. Other than that Pulis has a clean bill of health. Norwich City: As mentioned, Howson and Bennett should make the bench. James Vaughan is still on the sidelines with a hamstring injury, and Daniel Ayala is nearing match fitness but is unlikely to start. Marc Tierney and Declan Rudd are also out. Probable Line ups Stoke City (4-4-2): Begovic, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilson, Shotton, Delap, Whelan, Etherington, Walters, Crouch Norwich City (4-4-2): Ruddy, Naughton, Whitbread, Ward, Drury, Pilkington, Fox, Johnson, Surman, Jackson, Holt Referee: Michael Oliver Venue: Britannia Stadium, 3PM My Prediction: 2-2 €“ Stoke are always formidable at home, seem to have stemmed the tide of their horrendous run of form, and no longer have Europe to drain their resources. Norwich have looked impressive all season and are almost as good away as they are at home. Both teams are good in the air and can switch to a direct style of play when the going gets tough (or in Stoke€™s case from the first whistle). A draw seems the most likely result to me.