Nottingham Forest crept into the Championship playoff places last weekend and will be looking to consolidate that position against Stoke tomorrow. 

Aitor Karanka's side caused a bit of an upset as they beat table-toppers Sheffield United at the City Ground 1-0 thanks to a Lewis Grabban goal.

After a tricky start to the season that saw the Reds win just one of their first seven matches but having won three of their last five, they are very much back in the race for promotion.

Having brought in 17 new signings since the end of last season that slow start can perhaps be excused as the new recruits began to gel.

Stoke currently sit in 15th place in the Championship, winning just five matches all season despite being made clear pre-season favourites to lift the trophy at the end of the campaign.

Here is how we expect Aitor Karanka to set his side out against Rowett's Potters.

Pantilimon will continue in goal.

He has not been entirely convincing at times but he is clearly the best option at the club so it would be silly to disrupt him.

Darikwa has responded to the arrival of Saidy Janko brilliantly.

The Porto loanee's form could have got him down, but instead, Darikwa used it to fire him on and he has now reclaimed the spot.

Settling on a centre-back pairing has been a problem for Karanka.

Figueiredo has started recently so will most likely retain his spot at the heart of the defence.

Alongside him will most likely be the experienced head of Michael Dawson.

Stoke still possess a real threat and the former Tottenham and Hull man could be crucial in nullifying that.

Robinson will, of course, be at left-back.

Having arrived on a free transfer in the summer he is surely one of the signings of the window having shone on the left side of the defence.

Yacob impressed on his first start against United last weekend.

His approach will most likely earn him another start tomorrow against the Potters and the fans will be hoping they have a settled presence in there now.

With neither Jack Colback or Ben Watson impressing this season it is likely that Karanka will give Tachtsidis a run out.

He is yet to start a match since arriving on a free in the summer but he is clearly highly rated by the Spaniard.

On the right side of the attack will be Lolley.

He has probably been the Reds player of the season so far and deservedly picked up the Championship's player of the month award for October.

His directness and fearless shooting has dragged Forest to a result on more than one occasion already.

Carvalho is slowly starting to impress after arriving for big money in the summer.

Inconsistencies blighted him early on but he is delivering more and more regularly, crossing brilliantly for Grabban's winner last weekend.

It would be a big surprise to see him dropped.

Much like Lolley, Cash has impressed this season.

He could have become despondent after the influx of attacking talent in the summer but instead used it as motivation.

Grabban will, of course, be leading the line.

He took his tally to nine goals with a fine headed winner against Sheffield United and is becoming a consistent and reliable source of goals.