Hopes that Aston Villa may have belatedly been stirring to fight relegation seem to have been snuffed out by the 6-0 drubbing by Liverpool a fortnight ago. Rémi Garde has Rudy Gestede and Gabriel Agbonlahor fit again but an ailing defence will be tested by a Stoke side that, bolstered by new arrival Giannelli Imbula, looked to have recovered their potency in the win at Bournemouth. Tom Davies
Kick-off Saturday 3pm
Venue Britannia Stadium
Last season Stoke City 0 Aston Villa 1
Referee K Friend
This season G14, Y45, R3, 3.43 cards per game
Odds H 7-10 A 26-5 D 14-5
Stoke City
Subs from Haugaard, Ireland, Shenton, Joselu, Odemwingie, Crouch, Walters, Diouf
Doubtful Bardsley (hip), Muniesa (hamstring)
Injured Adam (calf), Cameron (ankle, both 5 Mar), Wilson (knee, Apr), Johnson (knee, unknown), Shawcross (back, unknown)
Suspended None
Form WDLLLW
Discipline Y35 R4
Leading scorer Arnautovic 7
Aston Villa
Subs from Guzan, Hutton, Clark, Sinclair, Richardson, N’Zogbia, Lyden, Gestede, Kinsella, Bacuna, Calder
Doubtful None
Injured Grealish (ankle, 5 Mar), Traoré (foot, 5 Mar), Kozak (ankle, 12 Mar), Sánchez (hamstring, 12 Mar), Amavi (knee, unknown)
Suspended Ayew (last of three)
Form WDDLWL
Discipline Y51 R1
Leading scorer Ayew 5
