Sports Mole previews the Premier League clash between Swansea and Stoke at the Liberty Stadium as the two sides fight it out for an eighth-place finish.

Two mid-table sides enjoying progressive seasons meet at the Liberty Stadium on Saturday afternoon as Swansea City entertain Stoke City.

Swansea have reached the 50-point mark for the first time in the Premier League and Stoke are now aiming to surpass their best points tally of the same figure.

Swansea

Garry Monk and his charges met their 50-point target courtesy of their 3-2 victory over Newcastle United last weekend.

Nelson Oliveira and Jack Cork each bagged their first Swansea goals either side of Gylfi Sigurdsson's eighth of the season as they recorded a 14th league win of the campaign.

In a hugely impressive first season in charge, Monk has surpassed the points totals set by Brendan Rodgers and Michael Laudrup during their time at the helm of the Welsh club.

What more can be achieved in their remaining four games? Little in terms of league position - Southampton above them are seven points clear and in a battle for European qualification which will have them fighting until the end.

Victory over Stoke, who are one point and three places below them, would likely tie up a best ever Premier League finish of eighth, but Swansea would perhaps have more to gain from winning some of their other remaining fixtures.

Taking the scalps of Arsenal or Manchester City before the end of the season would be a great way for City to sign off and put a marker down for a summer window in which they may look to add a couple of marquee signings.

Recent form:

Stoke

The Potters pipped Swansea to the 50-point mark by 12 months, although they have been in the top flight for three seasons longer.

Mark Hughes set his standards high in his first campaign in charge at the Britannia Stadium, but Stoke are on course to go even better this term.

Four points from their final four games would see City eclipse last season's points return and victory over Swansea would also see them leapfrog their opponents into eighth.

A 1-1 draw at home to relegation-threatened Sunderland last weekend may have felt like two dropped points, but the Potters recovered from conceding a first-minute goal to extend their unbeaten run to three games.

Charlie Adam has come to the party in recent weeks. The Scottish midfielder has three goals in his last four games, having only bagged two in his 27 previous outings this season, one of which was against Swansea.

Recent form:

Team News

Peter Odemwingie of Stoke City scores during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Hull City at Britannia Stadium on March 29, 2014

Wayne Routledge will not play for the Swans again this season after undergoing ankle surgery. Modou Barrow has been recalled from his loan spell at Nottingham Forest to compensate and should be in the squad.

Neil Taylor is back from suspension and will take the place of Jordi Amat at left-back. On the other side of the defence, Kyle Naughton is still missing as he tops an injury list which includes Bafetimbi Gomis and Tom Carroll.

Winger Jefferson Montero is also a fitness doubt and so Ki Sung-yueng is on standby for an immediate recall.

Peter Odemwingie made his first appearance in eight months as a substitute in Stoke's stalemate with Sunderland. The Nigerian forward has overcome his cruciate knee ligament injury and could be on the bench again.

Geoff Cameron limped off late on against the Black Cats and will be replaced by Phil Bardsley at right-back. The American has joined fellow defender Marc Muniesa and the attacking talents of Bojan and Victor Moses in the treatment room.

Hughes may bring Glenn Whelan back into the middle of the park to free up Adam for a more creative role.

Swansea possible starting lineup:
Fabianski; Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor; Cork, Shelvey; Montero, Sigurdsson, Dyer; Oliviera

Stoke possible starting lineup:
Begovic; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters; N'Zonzi, Whelan, Adam; Diouf, Arnautovic, Walters

Head To Head

This fixture usually means goals. There were three in Staffordshire earlier this season as Stoke came from behind to win 2-1.

There has not been a 0-0 draw between these sides in the league since 1962, but both of their meetings last season finished level.

Swansea are unbeaten in their last five home games against the Potters and have never lost to them at the Liberty Stadium in the top flight.

Video Preview

Hit play below to see what the Sports Mole Sofa had to say about this encounter:

We say: Swansea 2-2 Stoke

There is no pressure on either side and that should encourage them to play an open, attacking game. Usually, that would favour Swansea but Stoke have key players in form and perhaps better options from the bench, such as Peter Crouch if needed. They could nick a point.