Stoke City No2 Mark Bowen believes Sunderland have improved under their new manager Gus Poyet.
The two clubs meet this weekend.
"There's been an improvement up there, no doubt about that," Bowen observed.
"They got a great result against City in their last game. It was a good goal to get in front and then there was a rearguard action to defend it, which is only natural.
"Wes Brown coming back into things after a long injury lay-off, and looking somewhere near his best already, has also helped them."
