Ibrahim Afellay has come back into the starting XI for Stoke City's FA Cup encounter with Wolverhampton Wanderers this afternoon.

The midfielder comes back into the fold, having recovered from a knee injury, in one of four changes from manager Mark Hughes following the 2-0 victory over Watford in the Premier League on Tuesday.

Erik Pieters drops into the backline as Hughes switches from a 3-4-3 to a 4-2-3-1, with veteran striker Peter Crouch picked to lead the line.

Bojan Krkic and Xherdan Shaqiri earn recalls to provide attacking support for Crouch alongside Marko Arnautovic, while Jonathan Walters misses out with a knee injury.

Charlie Adam and Joe Allen start the game among the substitutes, and Giannelli Imbula makes a start alongside Afellay at defensive mid.

Wilfried Bony, Mame Biram Diouf and Ramadan Sobhi are all absent after travelling to Gabon to represent their respective countries at the Africa Cup of Nations.

For the visitors, Mike Williamson makes his first start since signing for Wolves a year ago after overcoming a long-term tendon problem.

In all, manager Paul Lambert makes six changes from the side that claimed a point from their trip to Sheffield Wednesday in the Championship on Monday.

Matt Doherty is the only member of the back four to retain his place, with Williamson coming in alongside Kortney Hause and Dominic Iorfa as skipper Danny Batth and Conor Coady drop to the bench and Richard Stearman is rested.

Lee Evans makes his first appearance since August after recovering from a knock, joining up with George Saville at defensive midfield as Dave Edwards and Jack Price start among the substitutes.

Jon Dadi Bodvarsson continues to lead the line, with support from Joe Mason, Helder Costa and the returning Bright Enobakhare.

The bench includes striker Nouha Dicko and 16-year-old midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

Stoke City: Grant; Johnson, Shawcross, M.Indi, Pieters; Imbula, Afellay; Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic; Crouch
Subs: Given; Bardsley, Allen, Muniesa, Whelan, Adam, Ngoy

Wolverhampton Wanderers: Ikeme; Doherty, Hause, Williamson, Iorfa; Saville, Evans; Mason, Enobakhare, Costa; Bodvarsson
Subs: Burgoyne, Batth, Edwards, Coady, Price, Gibbs-White, Dicko

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