SIR ALEX Ferguson today hailed Stoke City as a "club on the up" and forecast that they will be a Premier League force this season.
Ferguson is preparing his star-studded Manchester United side for the visit to the Britannia Stadium tomorrow as the Premier League champions seek their seventh successive victory after making a slow start to the new campaign.
United's manager is well aware of the difficult test that they face against Stoke City in looking to extend that sequence of victories.
"Stoke are a club on the up and they're going to be a force this season," commented English football's most successful manager ever.
"They're a good club, a well run club. They have a good home record and I am not surprised how they have started the season at all.
"But I am happy with our form now. We've come good after a slow start to the season and the only dilemma I have is who to play tomorrow."
Ferguson did however confirm that former Stoke goalkeeper Ben Foster will return to his starting line-up at the Britannia Stadium.
Foster seemed to be under pressure after a costly blunder in the Manchester derby last weekend and Polish international TomaszKuszczak was called up for the Carling Cup victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers in midweek.
"Ben will start against Stoke," revealed Ferguson ahead of the game. "He's not had a lot of game experience, but he'll be okay."
