City boss Tony Pulis has handed Dean Whitehead his competitive debut for the Potters in this afternoon's Barclays Premier League clash with Burnley.

Whitehead lines up in the centre of midfield alongside Rory Delap while Glenn Whelan is named amongst the substitutes following his 90 minutes for the Republic of Ireland on Wednesday evening.

Danny Higginbotham has passed a late fitness test on his hamstring to start at left back and Ricardo Fuller starts up front with James Beattie.

For the visitors, Owen Coyle starts with former Potter Martin Paterson in attack with veteran Graham Alexander one of a four-man midfield.

If you haven't got a ticket for the game then don't worry as stokecityfc.com is the next best place to be.

We'll have all the teams news from the management staff just after 2.00pm then a full minute-to-minute report throughout the game.

Nigel Johnson will also present live match commentary on the new look Stoke City Player from 2.00pm while a full detailed match report will be online soon after the final whistle.

CITY (4-4-2): Sorensen; Wilkinson, Abdoulaye Faye (c), Shawcross, Higginbotham; Lawrence, Delap, Whitehead, Etherington; Beattie, Fuller. Subs: Simonsen (gk), Griffin, Cort, Whelan, Kitson, Pugh, Cresswell.

BURNLEY (4-4-2): Jensen; Mears, Carlisle, Jordan, Kalvenes; Blake, Alexander (c), McCann, Elliott; Fletcher, Paterson. Subs: Penny (gk), McDonald, Gudjonsson, Eckersley, Thompson, Guerrero, Eagles.