Stoke have leaked 18 goals in nine games since gaining promotion to the Premier League and have only shut out the opposition once, but boss Tony Pulis is hoping a consistent central defensive pairing will solve the problem. "We've got Sonko in, then he's out, then he's back in again," said the Stoke boss. "We seem to mend him and then he gets broken again, so we will have to see how he is."

Pulis added: "You just want a back four that keeps clean sheets. But we haven't had two centre-halves bedded in and that has been a problem for us.

"It is just about getting the balance of people who can play together, but it is difficult getting the stability you need if you are chopping and changing all of the time.

"But the bottom line is we have to start getting some clean sheets, while still creating the chances we are creating.

"Nearly all the statistics were in our favour at Manchester City on Sunday, but the most important stat was their three goals.

"We created more chances there than at Liverpool, but the big difference was the fact we kept a clean sheet at Anfield and got the point."