Bad boy Fuller back for Stoke

Ricardo Fuller returned to the Stoke starting line-up for the first time since his suspension for a bust-up with Andy Griffin at West Ham in December.

He replaced striker Richard Cresswell, while Danny Pugh came into the side in place of Danny Higginbotham, who picked up calf and ankle injuries in the midweek defeat at Spurs.

Manchester City, with a four-match unbeaten league run, fielded the same side that beat Newcastle in midweek and which now includes seven new signings in the Mark Hughes regime at a cost of £93m.

Hughes will be hoping to add two more to his squad in Shay Given and Roque Santa Cruz before the transfer window closes on Monday.

Stoke: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Shawcross, Abdoulaye Faye, Pugh, Delap, Whelan, Amdy Faye, Etherington, Beattie, Fuller.

Subs: Simonsen, Olofinjana, Cresswell, Lawrence, Griffin, Kitson, Sonko.

Man City: Hart, Richards, Kompany, Onuoha, Bridge, Wright-Phillips, De Jong, Zabaleta, Ireland, Bellamy, Robinho.

Subs: Schmeichel, Fernandes, Garrido, Elano, Caicedo, Jo, Vassell.

Referee: Martin Atkinson.