Premier League team news: Stoke v Liverpool
Stoke will be without captain Ryan Shawcross against Liverpool, but striker Bojan Krkic is in line to make his first competitive appearance in seven months.
The Potters this week revealed centre-back Shawcross required surgery on a troublesome back issue and will miss at least two months of the campaign, with defender Marc Wilson (ankle) also unlikely to face the Reds having not trained all week.
Bojan returned to action this summer following his long-term knee problem and could even be selected from the start by boss Mark Hughes, who expects new signing Ibrahim Afellay to feature but could be without Marko Arnautovic due to a thigh strain.
Liverpool will be without Joe Allen after the midfielder was ruled out for three to four weeks with a hamstring problem.
The other definite absentees are striker Daniel Sturridge (hip) and defender Jon Flanagan (knee), who are expected to return in early September and just prior to Christmas respectively.
The likes of summer recruits Christian Benteke, Danny Ings, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne are poised for Reds debuts, while it remains to be seen whether forwards Mario Balotelli and Fabio Borini - who both look set to leave the club - are involved.
Stoke squad: Butland, Bardsley, Pieters, Muniesa, Whelan, Ireland, Johnson, Odemwingie, Arnautovic, Joselu, Wilson, Afellay, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Walters, Cameron, Sidwell, Teixeira, Given, Crouch, Wollscheid, Bojan, El Ouriachi.
Liverpool squad: Mignolet, Bogdan, Toure, Lovren, Skrtel, Sakho, Gomez, Clyne, Enrique, Moreno, Can, Milner, Lucas, Henderson, Markovic, Lallana, Ibe, Firmino, Coutinho, Benteke, Ings, Origi.