Stoke seeking to avoid 'upset' at Derby(credit:
Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Stoke City are expected to overcome Championship side Derby County when these two teams meet in the FA Cup fourth round on Saturday.
Betfair Match Odds: Derby 3.5, Stoke 2.3, Draw 3.5
Derby County have been excellent at Pride Park since the beginning of December, winning four straight league games including victories over Leeds and West Ham, and an FA Cup tie against Crystal Palace.
Unusually for Stoke City, they've won as many games away from home as they have at the Britannia Stadium this term, but they still find scoring goals on their travels hard to come by - just eight goals scored in 11 away trips.
At first glance this looks a difficult game to call and Derby probably would have been the selection if they were available to back at around the 5.0 mark. The fact that they are only 3.5 means that Stoke are a bigger price than expected, so having looked at the Opta stats, I'm happy to make Tony Pulis' men the selection.
Stoke have won their last three FA Cup ties away from home and impressively they have lost just one of their last 15 cup games against clubs from a lower division. On top of this, the Rams have lost each of the last five times they've faced top-flight opposition.
If Stoke are at full strength they should be capable of earning a place in round five.
Best Bet: Back Stoke City @ 2.3