Gus Poyet and his Sunderland side will be hoping that they get their first three points of the season when they face Stoke City on Saturday afternoon.
Sunderland have managed five draws and one loss so far this campaign, which has left them one point above the drop zone. Poyet will be hoping it isn’t a repeat of their meeting in the Capital One Cup a few weeks previous, where they lost 2-1 at the Stadium of Light.
Mark Hughes and his Stoke side on the other hand will be in high spirits on their way to the north east after a 1-0 win over a struggling Newcastle on Monday night. Stoke have managed two losses, two victories and two draws so far, leaving them in 11th.
Poyet will be given a defensive boost as Wes Brown is likely to return to the side. Brown missed the 0-0 draw with Swansea last week through a calf problem but he has returned to training and is available for selection. However, they will be without Liverpool loanee Sebastian Coates who is out with a thigh injury, while Italian midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini remains doubtful with an ankle problem.
Hughes has been handed a big blow as striker Mame Biram Diouf limped off in the win over Newcastle and is likely to miss this clash. Marko Arnautovic is set to replace Diouf while Geoff Cameron could feature in the squad as he returns from a hernia problem after five weeks out.