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Shinji Kagawa of Manchester United (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Stoke City will host Premier League leaders Manchester United on Sunday at the Britannia Stadium in what should be a tough encounter for both sides involved. Stoke City are up against it with a powerful Red Devils side who will likely look to finish their 2012/13 campaign on a high note.

Last time we played Stoke was early in the season, a 0-0 draw at the Britannia. I remember being disappointed by the draw but more so by our inability to score. How different it is today ...

Note the Nil for Stoke. A Nil. This shows that our defence was not breached; that a team of giants could not score from a cross into our goal area.

Last time we played Stoke was early in the season, a 0-0 draw at the Britannia. I remember being disappointed by the draw but more so by our inability to score. How different it is today ...

Note the Nil for Stoke. A Nil. This shows that our defence was not breached; that a team of giants could not score from a cross into our goal area.

Stoke player Michael Owen (l) and Swansea player Leon Britton-Photo by Stu Forster/Getty Images

Two contrasting playing styles battled against one another at the Liberty Stadium this afternoon, as Michael Laudrup's classy Swansea outclassed a lacklustre Stoke City by three goals to one.

It was a first half that offered very little in the way of entertainment.

Manchester City hunt for new central defender - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will be looking to delve into the transfer market in search of a new central defender if skipper Vincent Kompany loses his red card appeal.

The tackle

Kompany was given the marching orders by referee Mike Dean for a challenge on Jack Wilshere, the Arsenal midfielder, during City's 2-0 triumph on Sunday at the Emirates Stadium.

Dean Whitehead (L) of Stoke celebrates with Michael Kightly (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Since gaining promotion to the Premier League under the guidance of manager Tony Pulis, Stoke City have cultivated a traditional and robust brand of play in which no other sides want to entangle themselves.

Jordi Gomez of Wigan (Photo by Paul Thomas/Getty Images)

Despite witnessing more than a fair share of bore draws, Week 13 of the Premier League season didn't fail to impress in terms of overall entertainment.

West Brom maintained their charge on the top four of the English top flight with victory in Sunderland, while Southampton managed to climb out of the relegation zone for the first time in five weeks.

Doing the rounds: The Britannia... - originally posted on Soccerlens.com

Upon their promotion to the Premier League, Stoke City certainly made a name for themselves. Whether it be their refreshingly medieval approach to the game, the rocket propelled wrists of Rory Delap, or the relentless thrashing they always seem to give Arsenal.

Dimitar Berbatov of Fulham (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

After a relatively goal tally emerged in the last weekend of Premier League action, the criticisms of English defending returned in Week 11 when the division once again found itself lacking in clean sheets.

In total, only four sides managed to not concede over the weekend, two of which played out a bore draw at the Madejski Stadium in what was a bit of a dull encounter between Norwich and Reading.

Ryan Shawcross of Stoke City, January 2010. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Shawcross Has 'Cleaned Up His Act' Wenger

Arsene Wenger has given Ryan Shawcross' England call-up his blessing and said that the Stoke City defender has "cleaned up his act.

Hey Stoke. We're coming for you.

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A win in midweek over Birmingham may have exorcised a few demons, but it has done little to quell fears about where this team is currently heading. Andre Villas-Boas is lounging somewhere in the Caribbean, leaving Roberto Di Matteo the task of somehow turning this mess into magic. Fourth place is the goal, and to get there we need to do what is expected and take care of business at home against Stoke City on Saturday.

A win in midweek over Birmingham may have exorcised a few demons, but it has done little to quell fears about where this team is currently heading. Andre Villas-Boas is lounging somewhere in the Caribbean, leaving Roberto Di Matteo the task of somehow turning this mess into magic. Fourth place is the goal, and to get there we need to do what is expected and take care of business at home against Stoke City on Saturday.

John Terry and David Luiz/Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

Chelsea will get a huge boost this Saturday at Stoke City with captain John Terry having been added to the squad after being sidelined with a knee injury since November 11th. Sky Sports reports that manager Rafael Benitez has named Terry to the team and as an available substitute, but has stated that the 32-year-old will not start.

Luis Suarez of Liverpool (Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)

This season in the Barclays Premier League there have been numerous shock performances whether it be West Bromwich Albion beating Chelsea 2-1, Norwich City working tirelessly for a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Carrow Road, or the firing of Roberto Di Matteo and hiring of Rafa Benitez.

By Chris Wright

The England squad for next Wednesday's friendly against Sweden in Stockholm, with a few noteworthy call-ups to take heed of; namely for Jack Wilshere, Raheem Sterling and Everton's in-form midfielder livewire Leon Osman, who gets his first tip for the national side aged 31.

1. Ahead of kick-off I said that Stoke at home was a fixture United had to be winning, particularly with Chelsea making light work of the likes of Arsenal and Spurs away already this season. To have lost two games already is fairly disappointing but thankfully Chelsea are the only side to make us pay for this, so far.

By Chris Wright

And the England squad for the upcoming World Cup 2014 qualifiers against San Marino and Poland is as follows...

Goalkeepers: Fraser Forster (Celtic), Joe Hart (Man City), John Ruddy (Norwich)

Defenders: Leighton Baines (Everton), Gary Cahill (Chelsea), Ashley Cole (Chelsea), Kieran Gibbs (Arsenal), Phil Jagielka (Everton), Glen Johnson (Liverpool), Joleon Lescott (Man City), Ryan Shawcross (Stoke), Kyle Walker (Tottenham)

Midfielders: Michael Carrick (Man Utd), Tom Cleverley (Man Utd), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Adam Johnson (Sunderland), Aaron Lennon (Tottenham), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), James Milner (Man City), Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (Arsenal), Theo Walcott (Arsenal)

Forwards: Andy Carroll (West Ham), Jermain Defoe (Tottenham), Wayne Rooney (Man Utd), Danny Welbeck (Man Utd)

So, no Rio though absolutely no-one expected him to be there in the first place, especially anybody who was on the London Underground's Jubilee Line last night.

Photo by Dmitry Korotayev/Epsilon/Getty Images

The upcoming January transfer window could prove to be a vital time for Liverpool if they want to have any chance of securing a Top Four finish this campaign.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has expressed his belief that the Reds could be a Champions League team next season, but in order to do so, the club will surely need to add some depth to the squad in the coming weeks.

Photo by Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

Marouane Fellaini's blatant headbutt on Stoke City captain Ryan Shawcross was all over the headlines of most major sports websites following his club's 1-1 draw at the Brittainia Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Perhaps, because it was the only newsworthy event of a phenomenally boring encounter between formerly fourth-placed Everton and the relentlessly hoofballing Potters.

Big blow for Everton as midfielder Marouane Fellaini has been suspended for three matches after accepting a charge of violent conduct for his clash with Stoke's Ryan Shawcross.

The Football Association brought the charge retrospectively after reviewing footage of Everton's 1-1 draw with Stoke in the Barclays Premier League on Saturday.

Djourou will be up against a much leaner player today

On we go to the next game. It's the visit of Stoke, an opponent that will unite Arsenal fans. 2 years on but the animosity between both sets of fans still exist. I can't say for certain if the players are on the same thought process as we are and as professionals, I wouldn't expect them to be.

Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini has apologized for headbutting Stoke's Ryan Shawcross during Saturday's 1-1 draw. The incident occurred just before Everton took a corner kick and was missed by the referee, allowing Fellaini to go unpunished. But TV cameras and just about everyone else saw it (video here), so the Belgian was roundlycriticizedand prompted to apologize.

There is an ageing and injury prone look about Tottenham's defence at the moment but on the occasions when players are fully fit, the centre of that defence looks to be one area where there is plenty of cover.

It's still unclear as to what AVB's first choice pairing would be but many would like to see Kaboul and Vertonghen at the heart with Steve Caulker as first choice cover.