...it's just funny.

Alan Green
Match of the Day commentator

I'll whisper it very quietly when I'm in the North East on Sunday - at Middlesbrough for 5 live - but, however disappointing, I'm not surprised seeing Sunderland in the nether regions of the table.

But I'm shaken by the state Stoke are in. I thought the progress they had made under Mark Hughes, his new signings and the change in the style of play all pointed to a regular position in the top half. Maybe not.

These two sides have conceded more goals than most, but an effort to change that might mean we'll see very few in this game.

Image source, Reuters

Dion Dublin
Former Leicester and Man Utd forward on Football Focus

I am concerned about Sunderland. I can't see where they are going to get their points from. I can't see them getting through it. They can score goals but their defence just looks leaky. I think Stoke can look back at last season, Mark Hughes can see they have beaten teams, that they have got good players. But I don't think you can make the same comparison with Sunderland.

Arn-ouch-tovicpublished at 14:53 British Summer Time 15 October 2016

14:53 BST 15 October 2016

Stoke v Sunderland (15:00 BST)

We've already got an injury. That's right, the match hasn't kicked off and somebody needs treatment.

That person is a female spectator who's been hit by Marko Arnautovic's wayward shot in the warm-up. The spectator has blood streaming out her nose - bless - the Austrian went over to see if she was OK.

I wonder if it'll be added to the stoppage time at the end of the half?

• Sunderland are unbeaten in five Premier League games against Stoke, and their only defeat in the last 10 came in the Potteries three years ago.
• However, Stoke have only lost once at home to Sunderland in eight Premier League meetings when James McClean scored the winner in February 2012 (W4, D3).
• The Potters have failed to win any of their opening seven games in a top-flight season for the first time since 1973. They also lost their eighth game that year.
• Sunderland have failed to win any of their opening seven Premier League games in three of the last four seasons. That run extended to eight matches in both 2013-14 and 2015-16.

Stoke make one change with defender Phil Bardsley coming into the starting XI, replacing injured full-back Glen Johnson. Goal machine Joe Allen is fit after picking up an injury playing for Wales.

Stoke XI: Grant; Bardsley, Martins Indi, Shawcross, Pieters; Cameron, Whelan; Arnautovic, Allen, Shaqiri; Bony

Image source, .

Sunderland make three changes from the side that drew 1-1 at West Brom.

Patrick van Aanholt, Jack Rodwell and Papy Djilobodji come in for Jason Denayer, Jan Kirchhoff and Lamine Kone.

Sunderland XI: Pickford; Manquillo, O'Shea, Djilobodji, Van Aanholt; Rodwell, Ndong, McNair; Watmore, Defoe, Khazri

Image source, .

Image source, AP and Reuters

It's not pretty is it? 

• Stoke: 19th, no wins, four defeats, three points
• Sunderland: 20th, no wins, five defeats, two points

Will we see these two sides in similar positions the next time they meet in the league on 14 January?

Stoke boss Mark Hughes isn't too concerned yet, stating his side have "had a tough run of fixtures" since the start of the season.

His Sunderland counterpart David Moyes sounded a little bit more desperate this week when asked whether his side would have to play ugly in order to notch their first victory.

"I would take a win and if it means doing that, then I'll have to find a way to do it, whatever I can," he said.

Expect a scrap then.

Live coverage of this match coming right up.

Live text commentary of Saturday's other Premier League matches can be found here.