Stoke's £10million record signing Peter Crouch is set to make his debut against former club Liverpool.
The England striker is one of three players snapped up on transfer deadline day by Potters boss Tony Pulis, who will run the rule over the other new recruits Wilson Palacios and Cameron Jerome to see if they are fit enough to make their bows for the Staffordshire outfit.
Marc Wilson and Rory Delap (both hamstring) will also be assessed ahead of kick-off.
New signing Craig Bellamy is set for a place on the bench for Liverpool.
Captain Steven Gerrard is close to a return after a groin operation sidelined him in March while right-back Glen Johnson is in contention for his first start of the season after recovering from a hamstring injury.
Defender Martin Kelly is also close to fitness after sustaining a hamstring problem in Liverpool's last outing against Bolton prior to the international break.
Stoke (from): Begovic, Wilson, Huth, Shawcross, Upson, Wilkinson, Whelan, Whitehead, Diao, Etherington, Walters, Jones, Sorensen, Shotton, Arismendi, Woodgate, Pennant, Delap, Crouch, Palacios, Jerome.
Liverpool (from): Reina, Johnson, Carragher, Agger, Enrique, Adam, Lucas, Henderson, Downing, Kuyt, Suarez, Doni, Skrtel, Robinson, Flanagan, Shelvey, Spearing, Rodriguez, Bellamy, Carroll.
