Follow live coverage as Stoke City face Sheffield Wednesday 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 Sheffield Wednesday FC
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:59Match ends, Stoke City 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:59Second Half ends, Stoke City 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:59Foul by Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:59Foul by Pol Valentín (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:59Foul by Akin Famewo (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:58Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:57Attempt blocked. Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) header from the left side of the six yard box is blocked. Assisted by Barry Bannan with a cross.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:55Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Wouter Burger.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
17:12Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:55Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
17:12Delay in match because of an injury Josh Windass (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:52Foul by Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:54Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Foul by Callum Paterson (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Fourth official has announced 9 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Substitution, Stoke City. Bosun Lawal replaces Lewis Baker.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Substitution, Stoke City. Ali Al-Hamadi replaces Sam Gallagher because of an injury.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:51Delay in match because of an injury Sam Gallagher (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:48Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:46Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:46Delay in match because of an injury Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:41Foul by Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:42Attempt blocked. Yan Valery (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Michael Smith.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:41Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) hits the right post with a right footed shot from the left side of the box.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:41Attempt blocked. Michael Smith (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Barry Bannan with a cross.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:40Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Gabriel Otegbayo.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:40Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:39Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Michael Smith replaces Djeidi Gassama.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:39Offside, Stoke City. Sam Gallagher is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:39Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Josh Windass is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:37Djeidi Gassama (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:35Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:30Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:33Delay in match because of an injury Sam Gallagher (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:30Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Pol Valentín replaces Stuart Armstrong.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:28Attempt missed. Akin Famewo (Sheffield Wednesday) header from the right side of the six yard box.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:27Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:27Foul by Akin Famewo (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:27Barry Bannan (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:24Shea Charles (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:24Foul by Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:22Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Djeidi Gassama is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:22Goal! Stoke City 2, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) with an attempt from the centre of the box to the centre of the goal.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:18Foul by Callum Paterson (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:18Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Barry Bannan replaces Svante Ingelsson.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:18Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Gabriel Otegbayo replaces Dominic Iorfa.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:18Corner, Sheffield Wednesday. Conceded by Ashley Phillips.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:18Attempt blocked. Djeidi Gassama (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Josh Windass.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:15Attempt missed. Callum Paterson (Sheffield Wednesday) header from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Svante Ingelsson with a cross.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:15Attempt saved. Sam Gallagher (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Junior Tchamadeu.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:15Attempt missed. Akin Famewo (Sheffield Wednesday) left footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right following a set piece situation.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:14Ben Wilmot (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:14Foul by Ben Wilmot (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:14Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:12Substitution, Stoke City. Lynden Gooch replaces Jordan Thompson because of an injury.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:09Delay in match because of an injury Jordan Thompson (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:06Foul by Wouter Burger (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:04Second Half begins Stoke City 1, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
16:04Substitution, Sheffield Wednesday. Marvin Johnson replaces Ryo Hatsuse.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:49First Half ends, Stoke City 1, Sheffield Wednesday 0.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:49Attempt missed. Djeidi Gassama (Sheffield Wednesday) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Akin Famewo.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:49Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:48Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:44Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Dominic Iorfa is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:43Offside, Stoke City. Sam Gallagher is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:42Million Manhoef (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:40Attempt missed. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Ben Wilmot.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:40Ben Pearson (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:36Foul by Wouter Burger (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:35Offside, Stoke City. Sam Gallagher is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:32Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:35Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Baker.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:32Foul by Lewis Baker (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:32Hand ball by Wouter Burger (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:32Foul by Sam Gallagher (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:32Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Djeidi Gassama is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:31Attempt missed. Sam Gallagher (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is too high following a fast break.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:26Foul by Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:25Foul by Wouter Burger (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:25Hand ball by Djeidi Gassama (Sheffield Wednesday).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:22Goal! Stoke City 1, Sheffield Wednesday 0. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:23Attempt missed. Jordan Thompson (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:21Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Dominic Iorfa.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:21Attempt blocked. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:19Million Manhoef (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:14Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:14Substitution, Stoke City. Jordan Thompson replaces Eric-Junior Bocat because of an injury.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:13Delay in match because of an injury Eric-Junior Bocat (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:13Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:09Attempt missed. Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) right footed shot from the centre of the box.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:06Offside, Sheffield Wednesday. Stuart Armstrong is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:05Dominic Iorfa (Sheffield Wednesday) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:04Sam Gallagher (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:04Ben Pearson (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:08Stuart Armstrong (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:05Stuart Armstrong (Sheffield Wednesday) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
15:01First Half begins.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Stoke City vs Sheffield Wednesday
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
Whether it's Premier League, Champions League, a European Championship or the World Cup we will keep you up to date with everything you need to know.
We will have all the latest scores, goals and updates plus analysis and reaction throughout the game here.
Click here to read the full blog on The Independent's website
