Stoke and Tottenham enter Saturdays game at White Hart Lane with both exceeding expectations in 9th and 3rd respectively. The Potters have only been beaten by the 'Big 4' this season and have only lost once, to Liverpool, in five matches away from home this term.
Mama Sidibe is back in full training and nearing a return after his hour in the reserves this week but this game is likely to be too soon. Robert Huth is suspended after being 'cited' for striking Matthew Upson during last weeks win over West Ham.
Tottenham will be without striker Jermain Defoe after he was sent off last week for violent conduct. Peter Crouch is expected to replace him.
The Potters won their first league game since August last time out, but have played tough opposition recently, and have only lost to the 'Big 4' so far. Tottenham have added consistency to their play this season and lie in the lofty position of third going into this game.
City don't have a particuarly good record at WHL, only managing a single victory in 36 visits, to go with twenty seven defeats. The Potters have also lost eight of the last 9 meetings at 'The Lane'. Tottenham have scored eighty times in this fixture, whilst Stoke have a measly 30 strikes.
With no new injury news for the Potters the line up is expected to be the same as it has been for the last two games apart from the likely inclusion of Andy Wilkinson to replace the suspended Robert Huth.
The referee for Saturdays game will be Lee Probert. The man in the middle has already reffed the Potters once this season, for the epic Carling Cup third round win over Blackpool, when Stoke came back from 2-0 down to win 4-3, even though they missed a penalty.
The Met Office have predicted that there will be heavy cloud cover all afternoon with showers and wind speeds of 17 mph. The temperature will be 16 degrees celsius with poor visibility.
Ricardo Fuller is set to make his 100th competitive start for the Potters.
Prediction: Potters keep things tight and Fuller opens his league account for the season shortly before half time. After keeping Crouch and Keane quiet all game a Lennon strike in the last fifteen minutes equals things up as Stoke keep record of not losing to anyone outside the 'Big 4'