Stoke City v Leicester City

Match preview

14 Dec 2016
Bojan, Stoke City

Stoke City's Erik Pieters and Marc Muniesa are carrying slight knocks but are expected to be fit.

Ibrahim Afellay will play for the Under-23s on Friday as he continues his rehabilitation from a ligament injury.

Stephen Ireland (leg fracture), Jack Butland (ankle), Geoff Cameron (knee) and Phil Bardsley (knee) remain out, but Marko Arnautovic is suspended.

Leicester City will assess goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, who is in line to return from a broken hand.

Midfielder Danny Drinkwater has a minor knee injury sustained against FC Porto and will also be assessed.

Did you know?

Bojan has scored the first goal of the match in both of his last two Premier League appearances against Leicester City.

Stoke have not had an English player score a Premier League goal for them since May 24th 2015 – 55 matches ago, when Peter Crouch scored.

Mark Hughes has won two of his three previous home Premier League matches against reigning champions as Stoke manager - defeating Man Utd in February 2014 and Chelsea in November 2015 (losing the other to Man City in February 2015).

Leicester have only conceded three goals in their last five league meetings with Stoke City.

What the managers say

Claudio Ranieri: "Stoke are a good team, they move the ball quickly with good players. They are strong, but I want to see the real Leicester."

See: Ranieri on Schmeichel and Drinkwater

Mark Hughes: "They are at their best when they can force teams on to them and then utilise their pace to break forward. That was the case against Man City, when they did so well."

See: Hughes aims for January transfer activity

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