There will no motivational material for Tony Pulis to pin up on the dressing-room wall. "Stoke are going to be a force," said Sir Alex Ferguson yesterday. The Manchester United manager knows how to use flattery to help his cause but he also appreciates just how difficult it can be to get a result at the Britannia Stadium following last season's 1-0 win. The significant team news is that Ben Foster will definitely start in goal for United despite his mistakes last weekend. No prizes for guessing whom Stoke will be targeting. Stuart James

Venue Britannia Stadium

Tickets Sold out

Last season Stoke 0 Manchester United 1

Referee H Webb

This season's matches 4 Y12, R0, 3.00 cards per game

sportingbet odds Stoke 7-1 Manchester United 7-20 Draw 16-5

Stoke

Subs from Simonsen, Tuncay, Whitehead, Higginbotham, Wilkinson, Pugh, Griffin, Beattie, Diao, Cresswell, Cort

Doubtful Beattie (ankle), Fuller (groin)

Injured M Sidibe (knee,Oct), Am Faye (back, unknown)

Suspended None

Form guide DLWDL

Disciplinary record Y11 R0

Leading scorer Kitson 2

Manchester United

Subs from Kuszczak, Scholes, Carrick, Brown, Nani, Anderson, Neville, Gibson, Fabio, Owen, Welbeck, De Laet, Macheda, Tosic, J Evans

Doubtful None

Injured Van der Sar (finger, Oct), Obertan (back, Oct), Rafael (shoulder, Oct), Hargreaves (knee, Nov)

Suspended None

Form guide WWWWL

Disciplinary record Y11 R1

Leading scorer Rooney 6

Match pointers

• Stoke's last eight home wins have all been achieved with a clean sheet

• The last time United scored in an away league game and did not go on to win the match was against Arsenal in November 2008

• Stoke are the only top-flight team to have drawn more than once this season

• United have score more second-half goals (11) than any other side this season

• Glenn Whelan has had more shots on target (four) than any other Stoke player this season; Dave Kitson has had the most shots off-target (five)