Stoke striker Peter Crouch celebrates scoring after 20 seconds against Arsenal last month. Venue: Emirates StadiumDate: Sunday, 11 JanuaryArsenal have Mesut Ozil available after three months out, with Aaron Ramsey and Mathieu Flamini also fit again and Olivier Giroud back from suspension.
Danny Welbeck is still injured, while Arsene Wenger must choose between David Ospina and Wojciech Szczesny in goal.
Stoke's new signing Philipp Wollscheid joins fit-again trio Victor Moses, Marc Muniesa and Bojan Krkic in the squad.
Marc Wilson is a doubt with a knee problem, while Mame Diouf is away at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Arsenal's inferiority complex about going to Stoke's Britannia Stadium has been widely discussed. Arsene Wenger even admitted his side were "too soft" to cope with the Potters in their 3-2 defeat last month.
Yet, when it comes to this reverse fixture, the Potters' wheels have come off - they have lost each of their last 12 league and cup visits, including all six in the Premier League.
Not since August 1981, when a young Lee Chapman scored the only goal, have Stoke gone home with anything other than their tails between their legs.
Only Peter Crouch, of all the players involved last month, was actually born when Chapman scored that winner - and he was just seven months old!
"Arsenal still have their defensive problems but I still look at them and the teams around them and fancy them to finish in the top four."
It was Crouch's goal, after just 19 seconds, that set the tone for Stoke's dominant first-half display at the Britannia. No coincidence considering the Potters have been quick out of the blocks all season, scoring seven of their 22 league goals inside the first 15 minutes - only Chelsea have scored more, with eight.
An early City goal at the Emirates would certainly make for an interesting watch. The Gunners have only gone on to win once in four matches after falling behind at home this campaign, and that was against Crystal Palace in their season opener.
Defeat in their last league game has left Arsenal three points outside the top four, placing the club into mini-crisis mode once again.
Wojciech Szczesny's recent indiscretions and an Alexis Sanchez minor goal drought - just one in six league appearances - are added distractions, although Mesut Ozil's imminent return from injury will be a welcome boost, as will Olivier Giroud's return from suspension.
History says it will be a home banker, yet the fact that five of Stoke's seven wins have come against clubs in the top half, including away to Manchester City and Tottenham, make it anything but.
Head-to-head
Stoke have lost on each of their last 12 league and cup trips to Arsenal, six of which have been in the Premier League. The Potters are vying to win a third straight league game in this fixture for the first time since 1951.Arsenal
Defeat at Southampton on New Year's Day ended their four-match unbeaten Premier League run (W3, D1). Arsenal have lost just one of their last 27 Premier League games at the Emirates (W18, D8) since the opening day of the 2013-14 season. The Gunners have scored in every home league match so far, a feat only matched by Chelsea and Manchester United. Thirty three points after 20 games is Arsenal's lowest points tally in the league since 1994-95, when they finished 12th. Mesut Ozil's set-pieces were the source of all three Arsenal goals in their 3-1 win over Stoke at the Emirates last season. It was his home debut for the Gunners.Stoke
Stoke have taken 11 points from the last 18 available (W3, D2, L1). Fifteen of Stoke's 22 league goals have been scored in the first half of their matches. No team has conceded more goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season than Stoke (11, includes penalties). Peter Crouch has scored eight Premier League goals against Arsenal, his joint-highest tally against a particular opponent, along with Blackburn. Mark Hughes has been beaten in all seven of his matches as an opposition coach at the Emirates (with five different clubs).
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