Stoke City have a chance to overtake Southampton this weekend if they manage to take all three points from their trip to the South Coast.
Second bottom of the table Stoke City make the trip to the South Coast to take on Southampton this weekend in a highly anticipated relegation battle.
Stoke have been at the bottom end of the Premier League for much of this season, having struggled to make best use of their high profile signings.
Following Mark Hughes’ dismissal, Paul Lambert has only experienced one win in his five games in charge so far, drawing on three occasions. However, his trip to St Mary’s presents a great opportunity for a second victory, with the Saints having also struggled this season.
Xherdan Shaqiri will be looking to net his fourth goal in four games, as the Swiss international looks to extend his strong run of form.
But with important match-ups all over the park, which three players could play a vital part if Stoke are to leapfrog Mauricio Pellegrino’s men on Saturday?
Joe Allen
Joe Allen will have a massive job on his hands in midfield as he goes about trying to hold things together in the Stoke engine room, while keeping the likes of Lemina and Tadic at bay. The Welshman has produced some sublime performances in a Stoke shirt and has often prompted confusion as to why Liverpool actually let him go.
The 27-year-old has featured 28 times in all competitions this term for the Potters, netting four goals, and will be hoping that his promising partnership with January arrival Badou N’Diaye can continue to develop into something fruitful as the club make a last bid to retain their top flight status.
Xherdan Shaqiri
Stoke’s standout player in recent weeks, Shaqiri will no doubt play a huge role if the Potters are to leave Southampton with all three points. The club’s highest scorer this term with seven goals, the Swiss international has netted three goals in his last three games, earning his side a point in their last two outings.
Perhaps not as consistent as originally hoped, Shaqiri is still capable of producing displays which remind you just why he has played for the clubs that he has, and he possesses the genuine quality to be the match-winner for his teammates. Stoke will undoubtedly be unable to hold on to him should they face the drop and therefore will be desperately hoping he can help fire them to safety.
Jack Butland
As always for a relegation battling side, the goalkeeper will have a huge role to play and Jack Butland is no different this weekend for Stoke. The English ‘keeper will have his eye on a spot in the England squad for Russia in the summer and will be hoping that, despite turning out for a struggling team, he has done enough to warrant a place in Gareth Southgate’s squad.
Performing week in, week out for Stoke is imperative and, much like Shaqiri, Butland could serve as the match-winner at the other end of the pitch. In his last outing against Leicester, the 24-year-old conceded an own goal which saw the match end 1-1.
He will be hoping to put that behind him quickly with a dominant display against the likes of Nathan Redmond, Dusan Tadic and Guido Carrillo.
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