Premier League Preview
Stoke v Chelsea (KO 15:00 Saturday)
Stoke boss, Mark Hughes, will be looking to put his old side to the sword and launch The Potters' further away from the relegation places when they play trigger-happy Chelsea on Saturday.
In spite of playing some free-flowing football this season - a change to what fans have been used to at The Britannia in recent years - alarmingly Stoke have only picked up one win in their last ten outings.
To kickstart an upturn in his teams fortunes, Sparky will have to mastermind what would be a stellar victory, over Jose Mourinho's talented outfit.
But inconsistency will be of concern to The Special One. A stickler for efficiency, the Blues manager has seen his side lose twice on the road this season already and watched from the sidelines as they conceded three times away to Sunderland last time out, despite finishing on the right side of a seven goal thriller.
That should provide Stoke fans with some hope of causing an upset against a side that currently sit second in the table. But needless-to-say, the task-at-hand represents a tall order and they will have to put on their best performance of the season so far, if they are to outscore a side that has had seven different goal-scorers in their last four games.
West Brom v Norwich (KO 15:00 Saturday)
After staging a brave attempt to fight back from 3-0 down, to score two late goals against money-bags Manchester City in midweek, the Baggies will be looking to avoid a second consecutive defeat on home soil.
They will fancy their chances in front of goal at least, when they take on a Norwich side leaking goals for fun and licking their wounds, after being humiliated by a flamboyant Luis Suarez in a 5-1 romp at Anfield on Wednesday.
After securing three points only once in their last eight games, Steve Clarke's men need to re-find their form quickly if they are to replicate last season's 8th place finish.
Chris Hughton's unpredictable side will, in turn, be looking to avoid their second consecutive defeat on the road when they visit the Hawthorns. After shipping fifteen goals in their last five outings, the Canaries find themselves perched dangerously above the relegation zone.
Flying winger Anthony Pilkington is out with a hamstring injury, whilst midfielders Elliot Bennett, Robert Snodgrass and Alexander Tettey are also sidelined. Elsewhere, big-summer-signing Ricky Van Wolfswinkel won't be rushed back into action after a foot injury, despite training pain-free this week.
Fulham v Aston Villa (KO 13:30 Sunday)
Aston Villa are riding high after a five-game unbeaten streak, culminating in an exhilarating 3-2 triumph away to Southampton in midweek.
Villa fans will be looking to Fabian Delph to continue his fine form, after winning the game at St Mary's with a 25-yard pile-driver, when they visit Craven Cottage to play a Fulham side riddled with problems.
Villains manager Paul Lambert has heaped praise on his sides recent run of results, in which a tight defence and clinical finishing has catapulted his young side into the top half of the table.
In stark contrast, the Cottagers are struggling for points and stability, after the sacking of Martin Jol, following six defeats on the bounce and sit third from bottom in the table.
In light of a battling display last time out, losing 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur, new man Rene Meulensteen will be looking for his team to garner some confidence and earn a much needed home victory in just his second game in charge.