Preview: Stoke vs. Sunderland - Gordon to return

Danny Collins appears to have played his last game for the club after he was withdrawn from the squad for the trip to his future employers as Sunderland accepted a £4m bid for the player.

With Collins missing, either Nyron Nosworthy or Paulo Da Silva will deputise, with new signing John Mensah having to wait for his debut.

However, this is unlikely to be the only change to the team that defeated Blackburn last weekend. Craig Gordon is likely to replace Marton Fulop in goal and Kieran Richardson could lose his place to Andy Reid, who impressed against Norwich on Monday night.

Darren Bent, Lorik Cana, Lee Cattermole, Steed Malbranque, Anton Ferdinand and Phil Bardsley were all rested for the cup tie and will all return to the starting XI.

Danny Collins isn`t the only player to miss out because he is leaving the club, as Grant Leadbitter and Carlos Edwards are also set to leave the Stadium of Light and are therefore unlikely to feature.

Probable XI (4-4-2): Gordon; Bardsley, McCartney, Ferdinand, Nosworthy; Malbranque, Richardson, Cana, Cattermole; Jones, Bent.

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