Stoke City vs West Brom - Match Preview
Last season's encounter at the Brittania Stadium finished in dramatic style after substitute Carlos Vela netted late on to rescue Albion a valuable point away from home.
Roy Hodgson's men have won just one of their last 28 league duels with Stoke and West Brom head into this Premier League clash with their last victory on 21 December against Newcastle United, Stoke's last win was two weeks ago against struggling Blackburn. Stoke are having a wonderful season. They are in the last 32 of the Europa League and travel to Valencia next month, currently sitting in the top 10 in the league as they try and secure survival for yet another campaign and are now preparing to host West Brom, a side that they have lost to just once in 28 league games since 1988 in what is an incredible record. Couple this with the fact that the Potters drew to Liverpool at Anfield last time out and surely the hosts will be the favourites on Saturday afternoon. Earlier in the season, Stoke took the three points, albeit rather luckily. Ryan Shotton, who is a doubt for the match tomorrow, netted in the dying minutes after nicking the ball off the clumsy Ben Foster in the Albion goal and scoring infront of the travelling Stoke supporters, who went back home in jubilant mood. Many have them down to earn the win again, but anything can happen in football and form and records go right out the window in derby games, too. Pulis' men are unbeaten in their last 10 meetings with the Black Country outfit (W8, D2). West Bromwich Albion have been too inconsistent this term for anyone to really predict where exactly theyll finish up. 2012 has been a bad year for Hodgson & Co. so far as they are yet to record a win this year and have lost their last three league outings. But besides all the facts and figures, Albion so have something in their favour, just something. The squad's away form has been brilliant this season, in-fact they would be in the drop zone if it wasn't for it. The team have collected wins at the likes of Carrow Road, Ewood Park and St James Park, and earned creditable draws at the Stadium of Light and Loftus Road. Their home form? Well, the side's last league victory at the Hawthorns was in late November when they beat Bolton Wanderers 2-1. As you can tell, the home stadium has been somehwat of a frustrating place for the Baggies so far this campaign. Top scorer Shane Long is back to full fitness, though, so he will be a big plus for Albion as they prepare to break all these horrid records on Saturday and come away from the Britannia Stadium with a win under their belts.