Squad sheets: Stoke City v Fulham

Matthew Etherington is one of four Stoke players who are struggling to be fit for the visit of Fulham
  
  


Tony Pulis, the Stoke manager will wait on the fitness of Matthew Etherington after the winger had a sugar injection in an ailing back. Stoke are far from sweet with four league goals to their name this season – Fulham's Andy Johnson has six in his last three games in all competitions – but they remain unbeaten at home. With Jermaine Pennant and Kenwyne Jones likely to be out, Etherington's presence could be key against a Fulham side that crushed QPR 6-0 in their last Premier League outing and have kept four consecutive clean sheets. James Callow

Venue Britannia Stadium, Saturday 3pm

Tickets £30-40 ((01782) 367599)

Last season Stoke 0 Fulham 2

Referee Martin Atkinson

This season's matches 7 Y20, R4, 3.43 cards per game

Odds Stoke 6-5 Fulham 14-5 Draw 9-4

Stoke

Subs from Nash, Sorensen, Whelan, Shotton, Wilkinson, Arismendi, Jerome, Upson, Jones, Soares, Tonge

Doubtful Etherington (back), Jones (hamstring), Pennant (hamstring), Wilson (hamstring)

Injured Higginbotham (knee, 20 Oct), Palacios (knee, 23 Oct), Fuller (achilles, Nov), Sidibe (match fitness, Nov), Diao (cheek, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide LDLWWD

Disciplinary record Y12 R0

Leading scorers Crouch, Jones, Shotton, Walters 1

Fulham

Subs from Etheridge, Somogyi, Kelly, Sidwell, Baird, Sá, Kasami, Gecov, Duff, Briggs, Kacaniklic, Marsh-Brown

Doubtful Hughes (groin)

Injured Frei (ankle, 23 Oct), Ruiz (knee, 29 Oct), Senderos (thigh, 29 Oct), Davies (knee, Nov)

Suspended None

Form guide WDDDLL

Disciplinary record Y14 R0

Leading scorers Jonhson, Zamora 3

Match pointers

• These sides met three times in league and cup last season and all the games ended with one side winning 2-0

• Since their defeat at the Britannia Stadium by Fulham in 2010-11, Stoke have lost just one of 12 subsequent top-flight home games

• Andrew Johnson scored the quickest top- flight goal of the season so far (after one minute 19 seconds) against QPR in Fulham's last match

• Stoke have had fewer shots on target (17) than any other side and have not scored more than one goal in a match for nine games, the worst current run in the division

 

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