Pitch widths

Stoke have the second narrowest pitch in the Premier League, 72 yards across (the Boleyn Ground is 70 yards across). This is one of the reasons why Rory Delap's long throws are so effective.

The City of Manchester Stadium has the widest pitch in the Premier League, 77 yards across. So I hope that his throws will be slightly less effective.

It's not great that I have to look to things like this for confidence going into our home game against Stoke City, but they are in form and we're not.