Newcastle United will put their impressive English Premier League form to the test when they face Stoke City away from home on Sunday.
Playing their second season back in the top flight after being relegated in 2008/09, Newcastle have won five of their nine Premier League matches so far, and sit a lofty fourth on the table.
Along with league leaders Manchester City, they are one of only two teams yet to lose this season.
A kind early fixture list means Newcastle are yet to face any of the other three clubs inside the top four, but have managed impressive draws at home to Arsenal and away to Tottenham Hotspur, when they twice came from a goal down to secure a point.
Their relatively easy introduction to the 2011/12 campaign ends with a trip to face high-flying City next month, followed by successive matches away to Manchester United and at home to Chelsea.
That tough run will be a searching examination of Newcastle s credentials, but they must first preserve their unbeaten record, no small task with a visit to Stoke s Britannia Stadium fortress up next.
Stoke are yet to lose at home in the league this season, and occupy ninth in the standings.
They did go down 2-1 against Liverpool at the Britannia Stadium on Wednesday, with the fourth-round Carling Cup defeat proving Tony Pulis men are not invincible in their own backyard.
Newcastle will also be looking to recover from disappointment in the Cup; they came from behind three times away to Blackburn Rovers, but lost 4-3 after conceding in the last minute of extra-time.
Manager Alan Pardew will be waiting on a number of fitness concerns before naming his side to tackle Stoke.
Centre-back Steven Taylor has not missed a minute of league action for Newcastle, and should recover from a facial injury in time to take part on Sunday.
Mike Williamson by contrast has only managed six minutes of Premier League football back in August, but is nearing a return from ankle trouble.
Key midfielder Cheik Tiote is in doubt due to a knee problem, while utility Alan Smith and experienced forward Shola Ameobi are both ruled out with hamstring injuries.
For Stoke, Danny Higginbotham is close to a first-team return after recovering from an ACL knee injury.
But Mamady Sidibe has suffered a new setback in his long-running battle against injury; the striker was stretchered off with a suspected dislocated knee during a reserve team match on Wednesday.
Forward Ricardo Fuller and winger Jermaine Pennant are both in doubt.
