DID YOU KNOW?
* Wolves are Stoke's nearest rivals in the top flight, with the two clubs separated by just 30 miles.
* Wolves captain Karl Henry (pictured right) came through Stoke's academy and made more than 100 appearances for the Potters before signing for Mick McCarthy's side in 2006.
* The hosts' top scorer this season in all competitions is Jonathan Walters, who has netted 11 times, though the Irishman has only five league goals. Kenwyne Jones has the club's most goals in the league with seven.
* Potters winger Matthew Etherington has more assists (eight) in the Premier League than Ryan Giggs (seven).
* Despite both teams' reputations as tough tacklers, the two Midlands sides sit in the middle of the Premier League's disciplinary table. Wolves are eighth with Stoke 12th. Arsenal are bottom of the table having picked up 62 yellow cards and six reds.
* McCarthy's side have the worst away record in the top flight, having registered just two wins in 16 games, but Stoke are only marginally better, with just 11 points picked up on the road.
* The hosts have the worst half-time record in the league. They have gone into the break holding a lead on only four occasions this season.
* Wolves have not beaten Stoke at the Britannia Stadium since September 2005, when the visitors came away with a 3-1 Championship win.
PROBABLE LINE-UPS
Stoke City: Begovic; Wilkinson, Huth, Shawcross, Wilson; Pennant, Delap, Whelan, Etherington; Jones, Walters.
John Carew, who was unable to play against Aston Villa at the weekend because he was ineligible, will likely return to the squad.
Wolves: Hennessey; Stearman, Craddock, Berra, Ward; Jarvis, Milijas, Henry, O'Hara, Guedioura; Fletcher.
Mick McCarthy will be without lead striker Kevin Doyle, who is likely to miss the rest of the season after picking up an injury while on international duty last month.
Prediction
The two games between the clubs this season have seen each take a win, but Wolves have for too long lacked the quality that saw them win on the opening day of the season against the Potters at Molineux.
The Potteries side have stepped up a gear from their mid-season slump, and while they are not mathematically safe, they are playing with the confidence of a side that expects to win every game, and a first trip back to the Britannia Stadium since their Wembley exploits will have the home fans rocking and Mick McCarthy heading back to the Black Country in a bad mood.
The Potteries side have stepped up a gear from their mid-season slump, and while they are not mathematically safe, they are playing with the confidence of a side that expects to win every game, and a first trip back to the Britannia Stadium since their Wembley exploits will have the home fans rocking and Mick McCarthy heading back to the Black Country in a bad mood.
Stoke 2-1 Wolves 
