Sheffield United have been flying as of late in the Championship, with six wins in their last seven games seeing them into a comfortable second position in the league standings.
Paul Heckingbottom's side are looking to return to the Premier League at the second time of asking after losing to Nottingham Forest in the playoff semi-finals last season.
Last time out saw the Blades progress to the fourth round of the FA Cup with a 2-0 win at Millwall with goals from Daniel Jebbison and Jayden Bogle.
Stoke City are looking to kick on this season and finish in the top half of the Championship, but recent poor form has seen the Potters slip to 18th in the table entering the new year.
Alex Neil's side also won in the FA Cup last weekend, beating Hartlepool United 3-0 with a smart Jacob Brown finish in between two unfortunate own goals to secure a valuable win after back-to-back home losses to Burnley and Preston North End.
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Team news
Sheffield United
Wing-backs Max Lowe and Ben Osborn could both return to action against Stoke following full recovery from their respective injuries.
Oli McBurnie remains sidelined but has returned to training after missing the last four games due to lasting effects of ligament damage that he picked up prior to the World Cup break.
John Fleck (leg) and Ciaran Clark (hamstring) face longer spells out but are both likely to be fit by the start of next month.
Rhian Brewster and Rhys Norrington-Davies are both nursing long-term hamstring injuries and will aim to play before the campaign is over.
Stoke
Southampton loanee Will Smallbone will be assessed before the trip to South Yorkshire after a knock kept him out of City's win at Hartlepool last weekend.
Dujon Sterling is stepping up his training as he nears a return to action, but is unlikely to be involved as soon as Saturday.
Sam Clucas is set to be available for selection at the end of the month after recovering from a back surgery in November.
England youth keeper Joe Bursik is likely to miss out after it was reported that he is set to complete a move to Club Brugge in the coming days.
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Likely lineups
Sheffield United
Foderingham; Ahmedhodzic, Egan, Robinson; Baldock, Norwood, Berge, Stevens; McAtee; Sharp, Ndiaye
Stoke
Bonham; Clarke, Wilmot, Souttar, Fox, Tymon; Thompson, Baker, Laurent, Gayle, Brown
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Ones to watch
Iliman Ndiaye
Ndiaye's name has been on the lips of Sheffield United fans since his full debut in September 2021 when he netted two goals in a 6-2 win over Peterborough United, but this season has seen him transform from promising youngster to one of the league's finest as he spearheads their charge towards a return to the top flight.
He has netted nine goals and notched seven assists in 27 league games this campaign, playing as a second striker to Sharp or McBurnie. He also debuted for Senegal last year and played three times as they reached the World Cup Round of 16.
Dwight Gayle
Gayle was a striker that the Potters had been linked with for years before his eventual signing last summer upon the expiry of his contract with Newcastle United. It has been a far from ideal first few months of his time in the Potteries, with the 33 year-old yet to score for his new side despite picking up four assists.
An ankle injury kept him out of returning to action after the World Cup break until last week against Hartlepool, and he is expected to start against Sheffield United as he looks to get off the mark and help his side up the table in the second half of the season.
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Match details
Where is the game being played?
The game is being held at Bramall Lane, Sheffield.
What time is kick off?
Kick off is at 15:00 GMT, on Saturday, January 14.
How can I watch?
The game will not be televised in the United Kingdom and Ireland, but is available for purchase on iFollow for overseas viewers.