Sunday 18 September 2016 14:45, UK
Stoke seek their first league win of the season after a woeful start to their campaign, ahead of a trip to Crystal Palace on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports.
The Potters sit bottom of the table after losing all but one of their Premier League matches, with the exception being a 1-1 draw with newly-promoted Middlesbrough at the start of the season.
It has been a downward spiral since for Mark Hughes, who was sent to the stands during his side's 4-0 defeat to Tottenham last weekend after verbally abusing the fourth official.
Meanwhile, Crystal Palace are chasing their second league win and come into the game on the back of a 2-1 victory over Boro.
Team news
Pape Souare faces up to six months out but Alan Pardew has said the Crystal Palace defender should make a full recovery following a serious car crash.
Yohan Cabaye will miss the fixtures as he is yet to recover from his groin injury.
Connor Wickham is available after recovering from a knock that kept him out of the Eagles' win over Middlesbrough.
Christian Benteke and younger brother Jonathan are set to feature, with on-loan Chelsea man Loic Remy out for two months with a thigh injury and Fraizer Campbell sidelined.
Match stats
Crystal Palace have won four of their previous six Premier League games against Stoke, drawing one and losing another.
Stoke's only victory in the Premier League over the Eagles came in August 2013, in which Charlie Adam and Ryan Shawcross both scored for the Potters.
Stoke have conceded 10 goals in their opening four Premier League games of the season, compared to the same number conceded in their opening nine matches of 2015-16.
Palace will be aiming to secure back-to-back Premier League victories for the first time since December 19th 2015.
Christian Benteke has scored four goals and assisted one more in his last eight Premier League appearances, despite playing just 444 minutes in these games overall.
Merson's prediction
Stoke are struggling. Really struggling. They have footballers in their team and it's OK to have footballers when you are winning, but when you are losing, you need a bit of steel as well. I'm not sure they have that in them.
They need a Mark Hughes on the pitch, someone to dig in and put themselves about, and I worry for them - not in terms of relegation, but I'm not sure they will have the season they hoped for.
If Palace play to Christian Benteke's strengths, and based on the Boro game it looks like they will, he will score goals.
PAUL PREDICTS: 3-1 (Sky Bet odds 16/1)
