Follow live coverage as Stoke City face Bristol 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.
Stoke City FC 2 - 0 Bristol City FC
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:34Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:31Foul by Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:31Mark Sykes (Bristol City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:34Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:31Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Ben Wilmot.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:31Attempt blocked. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the left is blocked. Assisted by Jason Knight.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:27Foul by Zak Vyner (Bristol City).
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:30Offside, Stoke City. Lewis Koumas is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:27Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Luke McNally.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:27Ben Gibson (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:24Ross McCrorie (Bristol City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:23Attempt saved. Thomas Cannon (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:27Attempt missed. Jason Knight (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by Nahki Wells following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:23Zak Vyner (Bristol City) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the left side of the six yard box following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:23Attempt saved. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) header from a difficult angle on the left is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Joe Williams with a cross.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:23Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Ben Wilmot.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:23Attempt blocked. George Tanner (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:22Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Viktor Johansson.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:21Attempt saved. Max Bird (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:18Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Jordan Thompson.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:18Attempt saved. Ben Gibson (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:17Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:17Attempt missed. Max Bird (Bristol City) left footed shot from outside the box is too high. Assisted by Joe Williams.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:16Attempt missed. Ross McCrorie (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:12Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Viktor Johansson.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:16Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:15Delay in match because of an injury Ben Wilmot (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:26Attempt saved. Jason Knight (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the centre of the goal.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:11Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:08Attempt saved. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the centre of the goal. Assisted by Ross McCrorie.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:08Foul by Ben Gibson (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:07Attempt missed. Luke McNally (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:08Attempt blocked. Jason Knight (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:06Attempt blocked. Jason Knight (Bristol City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:06Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Michael Rose.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:05Attempt blocked. Anis Mehmeti (Bristol City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jason Knight.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:02Attempt missed. Joe Williams (Bristol City) right footed shot from outside the box.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:01Goal! Stoke City 2, Bristol City 0. Andrew Moran (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Lewis Koumas.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:00Attempt missed. Zak Vyner (Bristol City) header from the left side of the box is just a bit too high. Assisted by George Tanner.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
20:00Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Ben Wilmot.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:56Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Michael Rose.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:57Attempt blocked. Mark Sykes (Bristol City) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:55Attempt missed. Nahki Wells (Bristol City) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Joe Williams with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:55Corner, Bristol City. Conceded by Eric-Junior Bocat.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:53Offside, Stoke City. Thomas Cannon is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:50Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:48Goal! Stoke City 1, Bristol City 0. Lewis Koumas (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the top left corner. Assisted by Thomas Cannon with a headed pass.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:51Attempt saved. Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:46First Half begins.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
19:15Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Stoke City vs Bristol City
17:45Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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