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