SIMONSEN COULD MAKE STOKE START

Simonsen - could start for Stoke.

Steve Simonsen could make his first Premier League start of the season for Stoke against his former club Everton at the Britannia Stadium on Sunday.

Simonsen, who spent almost six years with the Merseysiders before his free transfer to Stoke in July 2004, has yet to feature for the Potters this term but could get his chance as summer signing Thomas Sorensen watched Denmark's victory over Portugal in midweek from the sidelines with a back problem.

Stoke will be without the suspended Amdy Faye after he was sent off in the defeat at Middlesbrough so Glenn Whelan could come into the side.

Everton's £15million new boy Marouane Fellaini is set to start on Sunday but Lars Jacobsen is looking at three months out after dislocating his shoulder during Denmark's 3-2 World Cup qualifier win against Portugal.

Segundo Castillo and Jack Rodwell are also doubts for Everton with Castillo having trouble flying back from international duty with Ecuador whilst Rodwell was injured playing for England Under-19s in midweek.

Steven Pienaar (ankle), Andy van der Meyde (hamstring), Tony Hibbert (cruciate knee ligament), Tim Cahill (metatarsal) and Joseph Yobo (ankle) are all missing.

Another new signing, former Manchester United striker Louis Saha, is still struggling with a calf problem.

Teams:

Stoke (from): Sorensen, Griffin, Cort, Abdoulaye Faye, Dickinson, Lawrence, Olofinjana, Delap, Kitson, Fuller, Simonsen, Shawcross, Wilkinson, Diao, Whelan, Cresswell, Sidibe.

Everton (from): Howard, Neville, Lescott, Baines, Jagielka, Arteta, Osman, Baxter, Yakubu, Turner, Nash, Jutkiewicz, Fellaini, Agard, Kissock, Wallace.