Follow live coverage as Bristol City face Stoke City in the Championship today.
An increasingly competitive second tier in English football remains an intense and exciting competition, with the prize of a place in the Premier League on offer at the end of the season.
Relegation from the top flight last term means Luton, Burnley and Sheffield United are all back in the second tier this term and will be expected to push for play-off spots again at least, but so too will Norwich City, an improving Coventry and beaten play-off finalists Leeds United. At the other end of the table, Wayne Rooney is aiming to revive Plymouth’s fortunes after they narrowly avoided relegation last year, with Portsmouth and Derby the teams promoted from League One along with play-off final winners Oxford.
Follow live updates from today’s game in the live blog below.
Bristol City FC 1 - 0 Stoke City FC
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:56Andrew Moran (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:56Ben Gibson (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:54Foul by Ben Gibson (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:53Foul by Nathan Lowe (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:53Andrew Moran (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:51Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:51Attempt missed. Rob Dickie (Bristol City) header from very close range is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Scott Twine with a cross following a set piece situation.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:49Foul by Andrew Moran (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:47Second Half begins Bristol City 1, Stoke City 0.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:47Substitution, Stoke City. Junior Tchamadeu replaces Tatsuki Seko.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:32First Half ends, Bristol City 1, Stoke City 0.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:31Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:31Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:31Offside, Stoke City. Michael Rose is caught offside.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:28Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Mark Sykes.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:26Haydon Roberts (Bristol City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:25Foul by Haydon Roberts (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:26Ali Al-Hamadi (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:23Mark Sykes (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:22Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:22Delay in match because of an injury Nathan Lowe (Stoke City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:20Attempt missed. Lewis Baker (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:18Offside, Stoke City. Lewis Baker is caught offside.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:16Attempt saved. Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:10Michael Rose (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:10Sinclair Armstrong (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:10Offside, Bristol City. Ross McCrorie is caught offside.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:10Attempt missed. Mark Sykes (Bristol City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the right.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:09Attempt blocked. Jason Knight (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Scott Twine.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:05Foul by Jason Knight (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:03Attempt missed. Max Bird (Bristol City) left footed shot from the left side of the box.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
20:02Attempt missed. Andrew Moran (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:57Goal! Bristol City 1, Stoke City 0. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) left footed shot from very close range to the centre of the goal. Assisted by Mark Sykes.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:57Rob Dickie (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:56Foul by Scott Twine (Bristol City).
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:53Attempt saved. Scott Twine (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:53Josh Wilson-Esbrand (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:53Attempt blocked. Nathan Lowe (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ali Al-Hamadi.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:47Offside, Stoke City. Nathan Lowe is caught offside.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:46First Half begins.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Bristol City vs Stoke City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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