Having made nine changes for Thursday's Europa League defeat at Lokeren, Steve Bruce will again rotate his side.
Injuries aside, Bruce is expected to revert to a line-up similar to that which started the opening day match at QPR.
Goalkeeper Allan McGregor could miss out because of a shoulder injury picked up in the 1-0 midweek defeat at KSC Lokeren. Harry Maguire, who made an encouraging debut in mid-week, may force a first Premier League start in place of Alex Bruce, who went off injured last Saturday.The introduction of Nikica Jelavic and Tom Ince in Belgium ignited a late assault on the Lokeren goal by the Tigers and the duo look set to be tasked with leading the line once again.
Ahead of that tie at the Daknamstadion, Stephen Quinn was put through his paces with a rigorous fitness test. Given Quinn was not registered in City's 21-man European squad, that suggests Bruce was assessing his midfielder's fitness with Sunday's game in mind.
David Meyler performed well in Belgium, but his 90-minute effort is likely to see him rested, with Quinn looking the most likely to replace the luckless Robert Snodgrass in midfield.
Yannick Sagbo will complete his two-match league suspension. Bruce told his pre-match press conference on Saturday morning: "Of course there are players who will come into my thinking from Europe. I could arguably pick two teams, but I've made a conscious effort that if we progress into Europe, I will use the squad. "It is impossible to play Saturday, Thursday and Sunday and play with the intensity needed to win a game in the Premier League. "So, there will be wholesale changes and I think it's the right way forward. I may have critics in that, but my argument is, look at other clubs and teams in the history of Europe and they have found it very, very difficult. "The players who didn't play the other night are still travelling, they are still getting to bed at 3am or 4am on Friday morning and whether you played or not, it takes its toll. It's not the ideal preparation."Possible Hull City starting line-up to face Stoke: McGregor; Maguire, Davies, Chester; Elmohamady, Quinn, Huddlestone, Livermore, Robertson; Ince, Jelavic.Subs: Harper, Rosenior, McShane, Meyler, Aluko, Brady, Bruce.Stoke City team news
Stoke City's new £3m Spanish signing Bojan Krkic may have to make way as the Potters look for their first win of the season.
Bojan hit the ground running by scoring freely in pre-season, but the former Barcelona man could be left out as Mark Hughes looks for a more disciplined performance from his troops.
Victor Moses comes into the reckoning after joining on loan from Chelsea.
Peter Odemwingie could also start after missing last week's defeat to Villa. He may line up on the right with a licence to come inside.
Hughes' biggest dilemma is who to play at left-back. Erik Pieters got the nod last week, but the Potters boss may feel Marc Muniesa, another new signing from Barcelona, will offer a more solid defensive option against City.
Possible Stoke City line-up to face Hull City: Begovic; Pieters, Shawcross, Wilson, Bardsley; Arnautovic, N'zonzi, Whelan, Odemwingie; Krkic, Diouf.Subs: Huth, Muniesta, Adam, Walters, Sidwell, Crouch, Sorensen.Stoke City form guide Stoke's season got off to the worst possible start when losing 1-0 at home to Aston Villa, but their form in pre-season had been fairly decent. Draws against Borussia Monchengladbach and SC Freiburg offset back-to-back defeats by 1860 Munich and Schalke on their tour of Germany. And although neither Burton Albion (0-0) or Blackburn (1-1) could be overcome, promising signs were shown in their final warm-up game, a 2-0 home win over Real Betis.
James Smailes' preview
Despite a late return to Humberside Airport in the early hours of yesterday morning, it was an upbeat, if somewhat tired, Hull City team that arrived back from Europe.
A 1-0 defeat at Lokeren was harsh on Steve Bruce's men, who were left ruing after Allan McGregor's howler after dominating much of the match.
A difficult task awaits in the second leg at the KC Stadium, but the manner of the Lokeren celebrations, as much as the number of chances created by the Tigers, suggests City should remain upbeat about their chances of progressing to the group stage.
"They looked like they'd won the World Cup," was one assessment, with City's players to a man adamant they will have enough to get through on Thursday night.
Clearly, the confidence gained from last Saturday's Premier League opening day win over Queens Park Rangers has not been eroded and the Tigers will carry it into today's first home match of the new season as they welcome Stoke City.
That sense of positivity will be important when facing a team who will be intent on spoiling the party and leaving the KC with at least a point. The onus is on the hosts to make the most of home advantage.
Failing to take their chances cost the Tigers in Lokeren, just as it could have come back to bite them at Loftus Road, when they failed to convert a period of second-half dominance into a second goal that would have killed off the match.
The introduction of Nikica Jelavic and Tom Ince at the Daknamstadion was too much for Lokeren to live with and the pair will expect to feature prominently against Stoke.
With Yannick Sagbo still suspended, Ince and Jelavic could do with opening their accounts in front of goal.
Speaking ahead of the game, Ince insisted the goals would come. With three points already on the board, a lack of goals from the front men after just one league game is clearly not an issue, and if City win 1-0 on Sunday from a Curtis Davies header, no one will be complaining.
But for the Tigers' confidence moving forward, a goal of any sort from the likes of Ince, Jelavic, Sone Aluko or Tom Huddlestone would be a welcome sight.
Prediction: Hull City 1 Stoke 0.
