Stoke v Aston Villa

Barclays Premier League
Venue: Britannia Stadium Date: Monday, 13 September Kick-off: 2000 BST
Coverage: BBC Sport website, BBC Radio 5 live, local radio & live on Sky Sports 1

 

TEAM NEWS

Stoke could give debuts to transfer deadline day signings Eidur Gudjohnsen, Jermaine Pennant and Marc Wilson.

Goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen hopes to play despite missing Denmark's Euro 2012 qualifier on Tuesday because of an elbow infection.
Aston Villa will check the fitness of Stephen Ireland, who suffered a hamstring strain in the warm-up to the Everton game a fortnight ago.
John Carew is a doubt after limping out of Norway's match in midweek.

---

Stoke City
Doubtful: Sorensen (elbow) Injured: Sidibe (Achilles)
Aston Villa
Doubtful: Carew (knee), Ireland (hamstring)
Injured: Delph (knee), Weimann (ankle)

MATCH PREVIEW

The Frenchman's revolution will have to wait. Gerard Houllier will not formally begin his managerial reign at Aston Villa until he has negotiated a release date from the French Football Federation, so Kevin MacDonald will be in charge for a sixth successive game at Stoke.

Aston Villa is not a club on the same level as Liverpool, let's be objective and honest. But it's a club which has got good infrastructure and a fine team which is after one thing - to improve year on year Villa manager Gerard Houllier

The home side have reason for relief that Houllier is not in the opposition dugout, as he presided over an emphatic 8-0 Liverpool victory at the Britannia Stadium in the League Cup a decade ago. It remains the Reds' biggest ever away win.
Stoke were in the third tier of the league back then, and when Houllier left Liverpool in May 2004 the Potters had just finished mid-table in what is now the Championship. They have come a long way since Houllier returned to France, notwithstanding the fact they are still seeking their first points of the season.
While Villa have a new manager, Stoke are not about to lose theirs - Tony Pulis has ruled himself out of contention for the vacant Wales job.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head
• Aston Villa have only beaten Stoke once in the last six attempts: a 1-0 home victory last December.

606: DEBATE Have your say on this match

Stoke City
• They have won only one of their last nine league matches since April (W1, D2, L6).
• The Potters have lost all three league matches this season. They have only once lost their first four matches in a top-flight season - in 1906-07, when they were relegated.
• Their only victory in their last eight league matches at the Britannia Stadium was 2-0 against Hull City in April.
Aston Villa
• Gerard Houllier has taken charge of 216 Premier League matches - the third most experienced foreign manager in the division after Arsene Wenger (527) and Rafael Benitez (228).
• Villa have only lost one of their last seven away league matches on a Monday - 2-0 at Newcastle United in November 2008.
• The club have picked up six points from their opening three matches, as they did last season.
• They have conceded 17 goals in their last six away league matches, including nine in their last two.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Stoke City
Faye & Fuller: 1 goal (1 league);
Sanli & Walters: 1 goal (0 league)
Aston Villa
Downing, Milner, Petrov & L Young: 1 goal (1 league);
Agbonlahor, Bannan & Heskey: 1 goal (0 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Lee Probert
Assistant referees: Simon Beck & Stephen Child
Fourth official: Anthony Taylor

Under-1.70
Over-2.40