Stoke City vs Sunderland team news as key men return and Alex Neil makes big call in midfield
Team news as Stoke City take on Sunderland in the Championship
Andre Vidigal, Ryan Mmaee and Enda Stevens make welcome returns from injuries to start for Stoke City against Sunderland.
Ki-Jana However and Michael Rose are also back from the treatment room as Alex Neil makes five changes to the starting XI from the defeat at Leicester before the international break. Captain Josh Laurent loses his ever present status, however, as he drops to the bench in a big call from the manager.
Ben Pearson, Wouter Burger and Daniel Johnson get the nod in midfield while Vidigal and Mehdi Leris will start either side of Mmaee up front. Mark Travers is now the only player with a 100 per cent appearance record in the Championship going into the 12th match of the season.
LIVE: Stoke City vs Sunderland
However comes back in at right-back, with Stevens on the left and Rose joining Luke McNally in the middle. Incredibly, it means that Stevens – who joined Stoke in early July – is the longest-serving starter, although Hoever and Pearson were at the club on loan last season and returned later in the summer.
Stoke are anticipating a crowd of more than 25,000 as they look to get back to winning ways against Neil’s old club. Sunderland are bringing more than 2,500 fans of their own.
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