Fresh from a successful night in the EFL Cup, Stoke City welcome Preston North End to the bet365 Stadium on Saturday afternoon in the Championship.
The Potters thrashed Rotherham United to book a place in round three of that particular competition, whereas Preston made it three successive wins in the Championship last time out.
Match preview
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Stoke were the second-biggest winners in the second round of the EFL Cup in the week, beating fellow Championship outfit Rotherham 6-1 at their Staffordshire home on Tuesday.
New arrival Wouter Burger netted his maiden goal for the Potters on the night after just two minutes, with the hosts scoring four goals before the half-time interval.
A trip to Premier League side Bournemouth awaits in round three after the international break, but attention now returns to the second tier for Alex Neil's men, who have started the league campaign indifferently.
Home successes against the Millers and Watford have been dampened by losses on the road at Ipswich Town and Millwall, meaning Stoke sit 10th in the Championship standings after a quartet of contests.
A standout performer for the Potters so far has been Portuguese winger Andre Vidigal, with the former Maritimo man scoring three goals in four league matches to date.
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Preston recorded their third straight win in the Championship last Saturday, seeing off Michael Duff's Swansea City 2-1 at Deepdale in Lancashire, although recording the maximum was far from straightforward.
The Welsh visitors took a first-half lead thanks to West Ham United loanee Harrison Ashby, but second-period strikes from Andrew Hughes and Duane Holmes snatched all three points for the Lilywhites.
Ryan Lowe's men have been on the fringes of the playoff fight over the past few years, and supporters will be hoping this is the campaign that their side can go the distance.
North End are currently fifth in the second-tier standings, joining a group of four other outfits in the division that remain undefeated after four matches of the 2023-24 term.
A maximum on Saturday at bet365 Stadium for the visitors would extend their winning streak to four matches, with Preston last achieving such a record at the end of the 2020-21 season.
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Team News
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Stoke City remain without the services of influential midfielder Lewis Baker, with the former Chelsea youngster expected back from injury in the middle of September.
Grabbing a goal and an assist on his Potters debut in the EFL Cup thrashing of Rotherham, Mehdi Leris will be hoping to retain his place in Neil's starting XI for the visit of Preston.
Ki-Jana Hoever is back on loan in Staffordshire from Wolverhampton Wanderers this term, and the right-back should line up alongside the likes of Michael Rose and Josh Tymon in the hosts' defence.
Preston are famously light in attack due to the injuries of forward pair Ched Evans and Emil Riis Jakobsen, with the latter aiming to return from a cruciate ligament issue next month following an extended period on the sidelines.
Supporters had high hopes for youngster Calvin Ramsay when he made the loan switch from Liverpool this summer, although the 20-year-old is set for a period on the sidelines following a knee injury in training.
Ben Whiteman has been a regular starter for the Lilywhites over the past two campaigns, but the midfielder is not expected in action until October following a hernia operation.
Stoke City possible starting lineup:
Travers; McNally, Wilmot, Stevens; Hoever, Laurent, Burger, Johnson, Tymon; Vidigal, Wesley
Preston North End possible starting lineup:
Woodman; Storey, Lindsay, Hughes; Potts, Browne, Ledson, Best; Holmes, Frokjaer-Jensen; Keane
We say: Stoke City 2-1 Preston North End
Stoke City have been inconsistent overall so far this season, but they have enjoyed four successes in a row at the bet365 Stadium across all competitions, scoring 13 goals in the process.
Preston are unbeaten in the second tier up to this point, although we believe that Lowe's men will suffer their first defeat of the campaign in Staffordshire on Saturday afternoon.
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Top tip
Carter White
