Stoke City host Middlesbrough in a huge Sky Bet Championship test at the top of the table.
Victory will lift Stoke above Middlesbrough into second, whilst Middlesbrough can go top with a win if Swansea lose at Millwall.
Team News
Maksym Talovierov is suspended for Stoke following his red card in their 2-1 victory at Bolton.
Ato Ampah, Sam Gallagher (both unspecified), Svante Ingelsson and Aaron Cresswell (both knee) remain absent.
Middlesbrough will be without Rokas Pukstas after he missed their 1-0 home win over Wolves due to a hamstring injury suffered in a private training session.
David Strelec is unlikely to be available after he was absent due to a knock suffered on international duty.
Alfie Jones remains sidelined with a calf injury, which has kept him out of Boro’s last three matches.
When is Kick-Off?
Stoke host Middlesbrough at BET365 Stadium on Tuesday 13 October at 8pm BST, live on Sky Sports Main Event and Football in the UK.
Stat Attack
- Stoke City have claimed just one point in their last four league meetings against Middlesbrough (D1, L3).
- Middlesbrough have lost just one of their last five visits to Stoke (W2, D2, L1).
- Stoke’s Eric Bocat has converted two of his three shots on target into goals in nine league appearances this season.
- Just one of Will Lankshear’s seven league goals for Middlesbrough this season has been scored away from home.
Prediction
Having sat rock bottom after their first three matches, Stoke certainly have rebounded with 16 points in a six-match unbeaten run to surge up to fourth, and in particularly deserve credit for their defensive resilience and clinical finishing to beat a dominant Bolton on Saturday.
Middlesbrough meanwhile edged past Wolves with a clinical display but their away form in contrast hasn’t been as consistent as their home form, so this is a big test against a resurgent in-form team but they have the upper hand in this fixture’s recent head-to-head form.
Stoke though will be difficult to break down if they put in a similar performance as they did at Bolton so this could well be a cagey battle, which I think could end with a point apiece.
Prediction: Stoke 1-1 Middlesbrough