Stoke City vs Manchester United

Bet365

It’s the Premier League match between Stoke City and Manchester United, at the bet365 Stadium.

When is it?

Why, it’s Saturday 21st January, don’t you know.

What time is kick-off?

3pm. Yes, there remains a smattering of Premier League games that adhere to the traditional standard.

What is the team news?

Stoke City

Bojan Krkic missed last week’s win at Sunderland with a hip injury and remains a doubt for this weekend, as his future at the club remains uncertain.

Jonathan Walters and Geoff Cameron continue recovery from knee surgery, while Jack Butland is set to remain sidelined until the end of the season with complications to his ankle injury.

Stoke continue without forwards Wilfried Bony and Mame Diouf, as well as winger Ramadan Sobhi, who are away at the Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon.

Stephen Ireland is on the mend from a broken leg but is still some way from a return to action.

Manchester United

Eric Bailly is missing for Manchester United as the Africa Cup of Nations rumbles on.

United have a largely clean bill of health, with Luke Shaw set to miss the Stoke match but be available soon afterwards as he recovers full match fitness.

What are they saying?

Mark Hughes, Stoke manager

It’s a game we can enjoy; we worked hard last weekend and got our rewards so we’ll have to replicate that.

They’ll test us, clearly, they’re a top quality side who are playing well at the moment after having their own problems initially and they seem to have got their act together.

On the day at their place [after the 1-1 draw at Old Trafford in October] all the talk was about Lee [Grant] coming in and doing really well, which he absolutely did. After the initial opening period, I thought the game was very evenly matched and we had chances.

The key was the confidence Lee’s performance gave the group, which enabled to get us the result that we got, and we can take inspiration from that going into the weekend.

Jose Mourinho, Manchester United manager

If we can do well in many competitions, in the end we can consider our season good. And if we can consider our season good, even if we don’t win the title, that is a good step.

For the players it was a difficult period, playing so well against Arsenal and not winning and losing points in the last minute at Everton.

What are the odds?

  • Stoke to win: 5/1
  • Draw: 3/1
  • Man Utd to win: 4/7