Hello and welcome to our live coverage from the Britannia Stadium of Stoke City vs Newcastle United. Team news to follow shortly...

STAT: Stoke City have won 75% of their 40 points this season at home, the highest proportion of points at home than any other side. Newcastle have five more points than they did at the end of last season but have conceded 11 goals and scored none in their last three games, losing them all.

STAT: Peter Odemwingie has played against Newcastle five times in the Premier League and has scored four times in those games. Papiss Cisse, though struggling for goals, has scored in every one of his four Premier League appearances aginst Stoke. He is one of only nine players to have scored in the league for the Magpies this season.

Alan Pardew is as disappointed as the fans at their recent form: "I accept the criticism that is coming my way, of course, but that does not weaken me in any manner. I am a person who looks to the next game and looks forward. I am desperate to get the fans a result and they need to know that. I understand their feelings at the minute."

Mark Hughes is happy with the expectation of the home fans: "Newcastle will be without some of their key players this weekend and we have to take advantage of that. We will have to be on top form for the game to make sure we can get maximum points. We have got real opportunities to leave our mark this season and do things that Stoke City have not done before."

AWAY NEWS: Alan Pardew makes four changes to the side that got beat 4-0 at home to Man Utd last week. Goalie Tim Krul is back between the sticks while Steven Taylor, Paul Dummett and Shola Ameobi all come in to the starting XI. Davide Santon, Massadio Haidara and Luuk de Jong drop to the bench. Gael Bigirimana returns to the first-team fold for the first time since August.

HOME NEWS: Mark Hughes makes one change from the side that got beat 3-0 against Chelsea last week. Stephen Ireland comes in for Wilson Palacios in central midfield. Matthew Etherington is dropped from the squad to make way for Ireland who was not involved at all last week.

TEAMS: Stoke City: Begovic, Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters, Ireland, Nzonzi, Whelan, Arnautovic, Odemwingie, Crouch. Subs: Sorensen, Muniesa, Palacios, Adam, Walters, Guidetti, Wilkinson. /// Newcastle United: Krul, Taylor, Williamson, Coloccini, Anita, Gosling, Tiote, Gouffran, Dummett, Ameobi, Cisse. Subs: Elliot, Haidara, Yanga-Mbiwa, Bigirimana, Ben Arfa, de Jong, Armstrong.