Middlesbrough v Stoke City – BBC Sport

Middlesbrough has a selection dilemma with injuries to George Friend, Daniel Ayala and Dael Fry, leaving boss Tony Pulis short of defensive options.

The Teessiders are waiting for the two central defenders, Ayala and Fry, to be absent for the rest of the campaign.

Stoke City travels to Teesside to meet Welsh Pulis, who spent 11 years as a Pottery Manager in two periods.

Defender Tom Edwards returns to Stoke after a suspension.

Match facts

• Middlesbrough have not won any of their last four league games against Stoke City (W0 D2 L2) since their 2-1 win in August 2008.
• This is the first meeting between teams at Riverside Stadium outside the highest flight since August 1997, a 1-0 win for Stoke.
• Middlesbrough hosted Stoke for the last time in a league match on Good Friday in 1951, winning 1-0 at the top of the standings.
• Stoke won three of his 35 league games played on Good Friday (W3 D9 L23). This is their first match on Good Friday since 1975; the previous 35 games have been played out.
• Tony Pulis is undefeated in his last 14 league games against Stoke City (W7, D7, L0) since his first defeat in November 1992 against Bournemouth.
• Since Nathan Jones's first game, Stoke has had the fewest shots (132), one shot on goal (35) and the fewest goals (11) in the entire division.