EPL: Stoke City v Newcastle United preview
Everton v Man Utd preview
Stoke and Newcastle will both be aiming for maximum points when they meet in the Premier League on New Year's Day after struggling in recent weeks.
The Magpies have won just one of their last 12 matches in the top flight, and ground out a 0-0 draw against Brighton on Saturday, but goalkeeper Karl Darlow says the team are keeping their spirits up.
"We have stayed fairly positive throughout. We have been through a bad patch, but that can happen in the Premier League with the quality you are up against," he said.
"It will be tough - Stoke away is never easy is it? It's one of those games that we need to mentally prepare for. We are professional and we have to make sure we are fit and ready to go for that. We have to be in the best possible shape to go there and get three points."
Stoke are one place and one point ahead of Newcastle in 15th, and will be looking for three points after being thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea on Saturday.
They could make a bit of history too, having won their last four home Premier League meetings with the Magpies and never winning five consecutively against a single opponent in the competition.
castle will make a series of late checks before naming his team to face Stoke. Rafa Benitez will assess the bumps and bruises picked up on Saturday and is hoping he will have no further absentees.
Rob Elliot (thigh), Jesus Gamez (ankle), Florian Lejeune (foot) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (back) all missed out against Brighton, a game for which the Spaniard made seven changes.
Stoke are set to recall a handful of players for Monday's game. Mark Hughes fielded a weakened side on Saturday but is expected to bring Xherdan Shaqiri, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Joe Allen back into his starting line-up.
Kurt Zouma, ineligible to face Chelsea, could also return along with Eric Pieters but Ryan Shawcross (calf), Glen Johnson (knee) and Bruno Martins Indi (groin) remain unavailable.
"We have stayed fairly positive throughout. We have been through a bad patch, but that can happen in the Premier League with the quality you are up against," he said.
"It will be tough - Stoke away is never easy is it? It's one of those games that we need to mentally prepare for. We are professional and we have to make sure we are fit and ready to go for that. We have to be in the best possible shape to go there and get three points."
Stoke are one place and one point ahead of Newcastle in 15th, and will be looking for three points after being thrashed 5-0 by Chelsea on Saturday.
They could make a bit of history too, having won their last four home Premier League meetings with the Magpies and never winning five consecutively against a single opponent in the competition.
castle will make a series of late checks before naming his team to face Stoke. Rafa Benitez will assess the bumps and bruises picked up on Saturday and is hoping he will have no further absentees.
Rob Elliot (thigh), Jesus Gamez (ankle), Florian Lejeune (foot) and Aleksandar Mitrovic (back) all missed out against Brighton, a game for which the Spaniard made seven changes.
Stoke are set to recall a handful of players for Monday's game. Mark Hughes fielded a weakened side on Saturday but is expected to bring Xherdan Shaqiri, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and Joe Allen back into his starting line-up.
Kurt Zouma, ineligible to face Chelsea, could also return along with Eric Pieters but Ryan Shawcross (calf), Glen Johnson (knee) and Bruno Martins Indi (groin) remain unavailable.