Follow live coverage as Stoke City face Queens Park Rangers 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 3 - 1 Queens Park Rangers FC
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:56Match ends, Stoke City 3, Queens Park Rangers 1.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:55Second Half ends, Stoke City 3, Queens Park Rangers 1.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:55Fourth official has announced 4 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:49Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Wouter Burger.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:45Alfie Lloyd (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:43Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Paul Nardi.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:43Foul by Morgan Fox (Queens Park Rangers).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:39Attempt missed. Jordan Thompson (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box misses to the right following a set piece situation.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:39Foul by Harrison Ashby (Queens Park Rangers).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:37Goal! Stoke City 3, Queens Park Rangers 1. Yang Min-Hyeok (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:36Attempt missed. Jimmy Dunne (Queens Park Rangers) header from the centre of the box is close, but misses to the right. Assisted by Jack Colback with a cross.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:36Attempt blocked. Harrison Ashby (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:36Attempt blocked. Yang Min-Hyeok (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Ronnie Edwards.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:36Offside, Stoke City. Lewis Koumas is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:35Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Liam Morrison replaces Jonathan Varane.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:35Attempt missed. Jack Colback (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from more than 35 yards is just a bit too high.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:34Attempt missed. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from a difficult angle and long range on the right is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Lewis Baker following a set piece situation.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:33Foul by Yang Min-Hyeok (Queens Park Rangers).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:31Substitution, Stoke City. Jordan Thompson replaces Ben Pearson.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:31Substitution, Stoke City. Lewis Koumas replaces Bae Jun-Ho.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:31Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Harrison Ashby replaces Kenneth Paal.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:29Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:27Ben Pearson (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:26Yang Min-Hyeok (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:27Delay in match (Queens Park Rangers).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:31(Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:24Foul by Million Manhoef (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:25Jack Colback (Queens Park Rangers) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:24Foul by Nathan Lowe (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:21Substitution, Stoke City. Nathan Lowe replaces Sam Gallagher.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:21Foul by Million Manhoef (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:19Jack Colback (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:19Million Manhoef (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:19Attempt blocked. Paul Smyth (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:16Corner, Queens Park Rangers. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:17Attempt blocked. Alfie Lloyd (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Yang Min-Hyeok.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:14Goal! Stoke City 3, Queens Park Rangers 0. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box following a fast break.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:11Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:09Delay in match because of an injury Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:05Second Half begins Stoke City 2, Queens Park Rangers 0.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:05Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Yang Min-Hyeok replaces Karamoko Dembélé.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
16:05Substitution, Queens Park Rangers. Alfie Lloyd replaces Kieran Morgan.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:50First Half ends, Stoke City 2, Queens Park Rangers 0.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:49Offside, Stoke City. Lewis Baker is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:46Fourth official has announced 2 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:46Goal! Stoke City 2, Queens Park Rangers 0. Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box to the bottom right corner.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:46Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho with a cross.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:44Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:43Lewis Baker (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:42Foul by Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:40Attempt saved. Sam Gallagher (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Million Manhoef with a cross.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:48Offside, Stoke City. Bae Jun-Ho is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:38Million Manhoef (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:35Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Ronnie Edwards.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:33Foul by Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:32Foul by Ben Wilmot (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:31Offside, Stoke City. Bae Jun-Ho is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:28Foul by Sam Gallagher (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:29Attempt missed. Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the six yard box misses to the left. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho following a corner.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:28Attempt missed. Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the left following a corner.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:28Attempt missed. Wouter Burger (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box misses to the right. Assisted by Lewis Baker with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:24Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Jonathan Varane.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:23Goal! Stoke City 1, Queens Park Rangers 0. Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Junior Tchamadeu.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:23Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is saved in the bottom right corner. Assisted by Junior Tchamadeu.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:22Foul by Jonathan Varane (Queens Park Rangers).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:19Attempt saved. Lucas Andersen (Queens Park Rangers) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Paul Smyth.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:19Foul by Sam Gallagher (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:15Foul by Ashley Phillips (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:13Attempt saved. Karamoko Dembélé (Queens Park Rangers) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Paul Nardi.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:12Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
15:01First Half begins.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Stoke City vs Queens Park Rangers
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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