Sunderland 2 - 0 Stoke City

Sunderland v Stoke City: Preview

Updated: February 6, 2009, 2:02 PM UK

Sunderland new boys Calum Davenport and Tal Ben Haim will be included in the squad for the Barclays Premier League clash with Stoke.

The on-loan pair are available for selection with Anton Ferdinand battling a hip problem and Paul McShane and Nyron Nosworthy both out with hamstring

injuries, while George McCartney is feeling the effects of three successive starts since his return from foot surgery.

Manager Ricky Sbragia is hoping Djibril Cisse (ankle) and Kenwyne Jones (knee) will be fit while midfielder Carlos Edwards has a slight hamstring niggle. Teemu Tainio should be available after missing the last two games with a knee problem.

Boss Ricky Sbragia is urging the club to spend again in an effort to combat the harsh north east winters.

Wearside has escaped the worst of the current cold snap affecting much of the country, but Sbragia and his players have had their preparations disrupted by frozen pitches at their Academy of Light training headquarters.

Now the Scot is hoping chairman Niall Quinn and his financial backers will consider following Manchester United's example by ensuring they have perfect facilities all-year round.

Sbragia, a former United coach, said: "We have got half a pitch to work on, so we are fortunate enough we can train. We trained on Thursday, which was good.

"It's an area, I think, maybe the club needs to look at and maybe think about getting under-soil heating.

"I know Manchester United, they have that. They train on grass 365 days a year.

"Sometimes, we just can't do that. For the Manchester United game away [in December], I think we trained for 20 minutes on the Friday when we managed to get a small piece of grass.

"It is important when you are going into big games. You go there and you find they have got two pitches with complete under-soil heating and they are training there all the time on grass.''

Meanwhile, Sbragia has dismissed suggestions striker Michael Chopra was shipped out on loan to Cardiff again because of the response to him passing up the opportunity to score a late winner against former club Newcastle last weekend.

Chopra was through on goal but opted to try to pass instead of shoot and the chance was lost.

Sbragia said: "We had a deal on the table from another club, and Cardiff came in about a week ago and showed their interest again. They came with a deal which, from our point of view, was good money.''

Stoke will be without long-throw specialist Rory Delap due to suspension.

Delap starts a three-match ban after he was sent off against Manchester City last Saturday, but Tony Pulis' squad is bolstered by newcomers Henri Camara and Stephen Kelly.

Danny Pugh will continue at left-back as Danny Higginbotham remains sidelined with a calf injury.

Midfielder Liam Lawrence has vowed to fight for his place after clear-the-air talks with Pulis ahead of his return to Sunderland.

The 27-year-old, who was joint top scorer and player of the season as the Potters won promotion last term, has been unable to reclaim a starting berth after recovering from an ankle injury.

Lawrence said: "It's very frustrating because I want to give something to the team and help Stoke stay in the Premiership. I'm desperate to get back into the side and the manager knows that.

"He has told me to keep my feet on the ground, stick with him and take my chance when it comes. I've accepted that, but I love playing and I won't be happy until I'm starting games.

"I've been champing at the bit for weeks. I feel fit and raring to go and I'm no good to anybody while I'm sitting on the bench.

"If I do play, I don't feel as though I've got anything to prove to Sunderland. They are a massive club and the fans were good to me, but I had a fall out with Roy Keane and was sold to Stoke."

Richard Cresswell is likely to get the nod ahead of Lawrence on the right side of midfield as Pulis, who was alarmed by the concession of three goals in the opening half an hour at Tottenham 10 days ago, aims to be harder to beat on the road.

Cresswell has come in for criticism from many Stoke fans who would prefer to see Lawrence back in the team, but Pulis countered: "People don't recognise what Richard gives to us.

"He has his faults like we all do, but he has never, ever played a game of football for this club without giving 110%."