Stoke manager Tony Pulis will be without striker Ricardo Fuller for the visit of Sunderland although Ryan Shawcross is set to return from suspension for the early kick-off.
Fuller is set to miss the game after being granted compassionate leave to attend his uncle's funeral in Jamaica and is expected to return next Tuesday.
However, defender Shawcross is available after a two-match ban and, with no fresh injury worries, Pulis is set to choose from an almost full-strength squad.
Matthew Etherington and Kenwyne Jones both sat out the 2-0 defeat by Liverpool in midweek but could well return for the Potters' third match in six days.
Loan signing Sulley Muntari is in line to make his Sunderland debut at Stoke.
The 26-year-old Ghana international will be included in the squad for the first time since completing his temporary move from Inter Milan.
Manager Steve Bruce is hoping Bolo Zenden shakes off the knee injury which kept him out of Tuesday's 4-2 defeat to Chelsea, but skipper Lee Cattermole (back) is facing at least another three weeks on the sidelines and David Meyler, Danny Welbeck, Fraizer Campbell and Michael Turner (all knee) remain on the sidelines.
Stoke (from): Begovic, Huth, Wilson, Delap, Etherington, Whitehead, Jones, Sorensen, Faye, Collins, Pugh, Whelan, Pennant, Walters, Carew, Shawcross.
Sunderland (from): Gordon, Mignolet, Onuoha, Bardsley, Richardson, Angeleri, Ferdinand, Bramble, Mensah, Muntari, Riveros, Henderson, Malbranque, Elmohamady, Sessegnon, Colback, Gyan, Adams, Cook, Reed.
