Rare Stoke start for Owen

Michael Owen will start his first match in 14 months as Stoke tackle Crystal Palace in the FA Cup third round today.

The former England striker, who has made four substitute appearances since moving to the Potteries in the summer, has been paired with Peter Crouch in attack in a strong Stoke line-up.

Palace, third in the npower Championship, rest goalkeeper Julian Speroni in favour of Lewis Price and give a rare start to Jermaine Easter up front.

Crystal Palace: Price, Parr, Ramage, Delaney, Moxey, Zaha, Jedinak, O’Keefe, Bolasie, Moritz, Easter.

Subs: Fitzsimons, Williams, Appiah, Parsons, Banton, Wynter, Taylor.

Stoke: Sorensen, Shotton, Huth, Shawcross, Cameron, Kightly, Walters, Whitehead, Nzonzi, Crouch, Owen.

Subs: Nash, Jones, Adam, Upson, Etherington, Wilkinson, Jerome.

Referee: Neil Swarbrick.