Sunderland are back at the Stadium of Light on Saturday as Premier League football returns to Wearside.
The Black Cats will be aiming to build on a positive start to 2017 when they host Stoke City, with Lads starting the New Year with draws against Liverpool and Burnley, the latter of which led to an FA Cup replay which will take place on Tuesday.
In the meantime, though, David Moyes will be hoping his side can continue their impressive record at the Stadium of Light when the Potters arrive in the north east.
Arsenal and Chelsea are the only sides to defeat Sunderland at home since September, with the Black Cats losing just once of their last six league games at the SoL.
Stoke, meanwhile, have suffered defeat in three consecutive away games, but they've so done while facing the league’s elite, losing to Chelsea, Liverpool and Arsenal.
Last weekend Mark Hughes’ side lost 2-0 at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers as they were knocked out of the Emirates FA Cup, and the former Manchester City boss will be keen for the Potters to put their cup woe in the past.
But it won’t be easy for a City side who have often struggled on Wearside.
Sunderland are unbeaten against Stoke in their last 14 home games and they’ve conceded more than one goal against the Potters at home on just once occasion since 2007.
Jermain Defoe is expected to lead the line once again and the striker has an exceptional record in the month of January, netting 20 goals in the month during his esteemed career.
Only Alan Shearer (23) and Frank Lampard (21) have scored more.
Victor Anichebe and Steven Pienaar will once again miss out but Billy Jones could return to action, with Moyes providing the latest team news in his pre-match press conference.
Jordan Pickford, Lee Cattermole, Jan Kirchhoff, Paddy McNair, Lynden Gooch and Duncan Watmore remain sidelined due to injury.
And Moyes will also be without Lamine Kone, Didier Ndong and Wahbi Khazri, with the trio currently away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Stoke forward Jonathan Walters needs surgery on a knee problem and is ruled out, along with Bojan who has been linked with a January move away from Staffordshire,
Marc Muniesa and Phil Bardsley could be involved after training this week but Ramadan Sobhi, Wilfried Bony and Mame Biram Diouf are on international duty.
The last meeting between the two sides came at the Britannia Stadium in October when Joe Allen stole the show.
But, as we know, the tale of the tape on Wearside writes an entirely different story, and Sunderland will be hoping that run continues when the sides go head to head on Saturday.
OTHER INFORMATION
Make sure you don’t miss any of the drama this Saturday buy securing your seat for the first of two consecutive games at the Stadium of Light – click here to purchase or for more information.
Alternatively, you can follow all the action online, with extensive coverage on safc.com and on Twitter by following @SunderlandAFC.
Nick Barnes and Gary Bennett will be ON AIR from 2pm with full match commentary available via the official website.