Stoke City have accumulated one home victory this season, against Blackpool on 6th August. However, manager Alex Neill is still looking for his first home victory since taking charge and will look to add Sheffield United as their first victims when they entertain the Blades this weekend.
Since Alex Neill left Sunderland to join fellow Championship side Stoke City on 28th August, the Staffordshire club have won once in the six matches the former Preston boss has managed. This came on 13th September when they won 3-0 at Hull City. Recently they have lost 4-0 at home to Watford and, on Wednesday night, dramatically earned a 1-1 draw at Burnley, after Harry Clarke equalised on 87 minutes – taking the Potters to 20th in the table!
The Potters are also likely to field Phil Jagielka, 39 to face his former club. The former England defender has enjoyed two spells at Bramall Lane. After coming through the youth ranks, he made his Blades’ debut as a second-half substitute in a 2-2 draw with Swindon Town on 7th May 2000 – the final day of the season. He became an influential player and was part of an epic 2002-03 squad that reached the semi-finals of both the FA Cup and League Cup – respectively losing to Arsenal and Liverpool, as well as losing the 2003 Play-Off Final at the Millennium Stadium 3-0 to Wolves. He was also part of the 2005-06 squad which won promotion to the Premier League, and the side which was relegated twelve months later. In July 2007 he made a £4million move to Everton where he played 384 times, scoring 19 goals for the Toffees. In 2009 Everton reached the FA Cup Final, which Jagielka missed due to injury. During his time with the Goodison Park club, he was capped 40 times and scored three goals. In July 2019 he left Everton and re-joined the Blades upon their promotion to the Premier League. He remained at United for two seasons where, again, United were relegated from the top flight. During his time at United, he made 309 appearances and scored 22 goals. After leaving the S2 club he joined Derby County on a free transfer before joining Stoke City in January 2022.
However, will be without four key personnel of players. Defender Harry Scottar (ACL), as well as midfielder Sam Clucas (hamstring), Gavin Kilkenny (groin), and forward Jacob Brown (muscle), are expected to miss out through injury.