STOKE STARS BACK FOR BORO TRIP

Pulis - set to make changes.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis will return to his first-choice line-up for Saturday's trip to Middlesbrough after resting 10 players for Tuesday's Carling Cup victory at Cheltenham.

Pulis is likely to field the team which beat Aston Villa in the Barclays Premier League last Saturday providing captain Andy Griffin comes through a fitness test on a bruised knee. Andy Wilkinson is on standby.

Pulis may also have added to his squad before kick-off as Stoke continue to chase a number of transfer targets ahead of Monday's deadline.

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones is back in training after dislocating a finger in the pre-match warm up at Liverpool last weekend.

However, the Australian international is still recovering from minor ligament damage and will not be considered for the clash.

Ross Turnbull, who replaced Jones at the last minute at Anfield, is expected to remain in goal, while England Under-19 international keeper Jason Steele has been added to manager Gareth Southgate's squad.

Boro defenders David Wheater and Andrew Taylor, both of whom picked up knocks at Liverpool, are fit again and are included in the squad, meaning Julio Arca (ankle) is their only other absentee.

Teams:

Middlesbrough (from): Turnbull, Steele, Wheater, Hoyte, Taylor, Huth, Pogatetz, Riggott, Williams, Aliadiere, Emnes, Digard, O'Neil, Shawky, Downing, Johnson, Mido, Alves, Tuncay.

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