Manchester City v Stoke

Last updated : 16 May 2011 By BBC Sport

Stoke winger Matthew Etherington is unlikely to play after he was forced off with a hamstring injury at Wembley.

Danny Higgingbotham, Ricardo Fuller and Mamady Sidibe, who are all out with long-term injuries will not return until next season.

Manchester City

Injured/unavailable: Boateng & M Johnson (both knee), K Toure (club suspension)

Stoke City

Injured: Etherington (hamstring), Fuller & Sidibe (both Achilles), Higginbotham (knee)

MATCH PREVIEW

Manchester City and Stoke meet again just 72 hours after clashing in the FA Cup final. With their first silverware for 35 years safely in the trophy cabinet and Champions football already secure, you could forgive Manchester City's players for having one eye on their summer holidays.

We are all disappointed at the moment, but we must never forget that reaching an FA Cup final is another building block for this football club

Stoke boss Tony Pulis

But there is no chance of that under the rule of strict authoritarian Roberto Mancini, who is desperate for his side to catch third-placed Arsenal and secure automatic qualification for the group stages of the Champions League.

Celebratory drinks were banned in the wake of the Wembley win as Mancini tried to avoid his squad suffering any post-final hangovers.

Stoke's cup final defeat should not detract from a superb campaign for the Potters, who are chasing a first top 10 finish since the 1974-75 season and can now look forward to European football next season.

MATCH FACTS

Head-to-head

• This is their 98th competitive meeting. Manchester City have won 41 times and Stoke 36.

• Three of the last five league and cup meetings have been 1-1 draws.

Manchester City

• They have gone 14 league and cup games without a draw.

• Mancini's men have scored fewer headers (two) than any other team in the league this season.

• The 16 clean sheets Joe Hart has kept this season is the most in the league.

Stoke City

• Stoke have only lost one of their last seven league matches.

• Tony Pulis' side have not lost a league match in which they opened the scoring (W10, D4).

• If they secure a top 10 finish, it will be their highest league position since coming fifth in the old First Division in 1974-75.

• Stoke City have lost all eight of their matches away from home at sides currently sat in the top half of the table, the worst record in the league.

LEADING GOALSCORERS

Manchester City

Tevez: 22 goals (19 league); Balotelli: 10 goals (6 league)

Stoke City

Jones: 12 goals (9 league); Walters: 12 goals (6 league)

MATCH OFFICIALS

Referee: Lee Probert

Assistant referees: Dave Bryan & Dean Mohareb

Fourth official: Mike Jones

LAST LEAGUE MATCH LINE-UPS

Manchester City (W1-0 v Tottenham, h): Hart, Richards, Kompany, Zabaleta (Kolarov 57), Lescott, Milner, Johnson (Vieira 66), Silva (Tevez 83), De Jong, Y Toure, Dzeko. Subs not used: Given, Boyata, Wright-Phillips, 45 Balotelli

Stoke City (W3-1 v Arsenal, h): Begovic; Wilkinson, Shawcross, Huth (Faye 51), Wilson, Pennant (Pugh 72), Whelan, Whitehead, Delap, Walters, Jones (Diao 84). Subs not used: Sorensen, Collins, Carew, Shotton.

Source: BBC Sport

Source: BBC Sport