Wright-Phillips starts, Vrancic on the bench: The predicted Stoke City XI to face Fulham on Saturday | OneFootball

Stoke City probably went into their match with Hull City last weekend with not much optimism after their last league fixture which saw them surrender a one-goal lead against Preston North End.

The Potters were losers on that day to the Lilywhites but they made amends for it with a resounding success against the Tigers at the MKM Stadium.

Goals from Jacob Brown and a revitalised Tom Ince sealed the three points for Michael O’Neill’s side – one which included two new signings from the very start in Taylor Harwood-Bellis and the experienced ex-England international Phil Jagielka.

Quiz: Can you name which club Stoke City signed these 28 defenders from?

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Ben Wilmot?

Watford Norwich Brentford Leeds

A tougher test awaits though in the form of free-scoring Fulham this weekend at the Bet365 Stadium – but how will O’Neill line his side up? Let’s take a look.

It may be tempting with certain other players available to shuffle the pack somewhat to a more defensive-minded line-up, but why change a winning team unless you really have to?

Stoke were rarely threatened last week and in keeping a clean sheet against Hull it surely means that the defence stays the exact same.

Jagielka and Harwood-Bellis both impressed whilst Jack Bonham came in in-between the sticks in place of Adam Davies for his first start in the Championship for the club and there’s no reason why he should not remain there.

Josh Tymon is expected to have shaken off a knock to feature again, but one of the big debates comes in the midfield area.

Mario Vrancic – a key player for the club this season – has now recovered from a hamstring injury which saw him absent for last weekend’s victory and there’s a dilemma as to whether you throw him straight back in.

But with the form that Ince is currently in it should mean that the Bosnian has to bide his time to get another start under his belt.

The same could be said up-front with D’Margio Wright-Phillips making his league debut from the very start last week, and he did enough to potentially keep his place despite the looming threat of Tyrese Campbell and Steven Fletcher in reserve.

They are good options to bring off the bench though along with the likes of Vrancic and Alfie Doughty if things aren’t going to plan – O’Neill certainly has a lot of depth in the final third.