City boss Tony Pulis is calling on supporters to ditch their Saturday Christmas shopping and head up to the Britannia Stadium to cheer on the Potters against local rivals West Bromwich Albion.

The Baggies head to Stoke-on-Trent on top of the Coca-Cola Championship, and Pulis believes the club need as many supporters as possible to come to the game and get behind the team.

"I think Saturday is a very important day for the supporters", stated Tony.

"It's the only game to watch us at home over Christmas and I'm hoping that a lot of people will come along and get behind the lads.

"I'm really excited and I think the players are too because they want to test themselves against what is, at this moment, the best team in the league. It will be an absolute cracking game."

The Potters sit in fourth position, and only four points behind Albion in the table, after an unbeaten run including victories at Sheffield United and Blackpool.

And a win at home this weekend could see City rise to second spot with plenty more points available over the busy festive period.

The visitors, meanwhile, are undefeated on the road since October, and Pulis is full of praise for the job that Tony Mowbray as done at the Hawthorns.

"West Brom are a very attractive team to watch and they've got some exceptional players.

"Tony's done a fantastic job of turning things around there since he's gone in and I think that they are the class team of the division.

"He's lost some players from the end of last season but he's reinvested into the squad and they're doing well."

With Family Stand sponsors the Potteries Shopping Centre open until 9.00pm tonight, and 5.00pm on Sunday and Monday, why not give the Hanley shopping a miss on Saturday and help bag an early Christmas present at the Britannia in the form of all three points.

"The crowd set the stadium alive for us," added Tony.

"We'll need our supporters, every single one of them, to get behind our players and help us get the result that everyone wants."