Follow live coverage as Stoke City face Watford 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 0 - 0 Watford FC
Stoke City vs Watford
16:58Match ends, Stoke City 0, Watford 0.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:57Second Half ends, Stoke City 0, Watford 0.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:57Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:56Delay in match because of an injury Rocco Vata (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:56Attempt missed. Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:53Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ben Pearson.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:53Attempt missed. Sam Gallagher (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Bae Jun-Ho with a cross following a corner.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Mattie Pollock.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Foul by James Abankwah (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Substitution, Watford. Ryan Andrews replaces Yasser Larouci.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Moussa Sissoko.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Attempt blocked. Enda Stevens (Stoke City) header from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Million Manhoef with a cross.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:48Ben Pearson (Stoke City) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:52Foul by Vakoun Bayo (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:47Offside, Watford. Vakoun Bayo is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:45Attempt saved. Bae Jun-Ho (Stoke City) header from the centre of the box is saved in the top right corner. Assisted by Junior Tchamadeu with a cross.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:44Attempt saved. Million Manhoef (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box is saved.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:42Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:40Delay in match because of an injury Ashley Phillips (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:39Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Offside, Watford. Jeremy Ngakia is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Substitution, Watford. Rocco Vata replaces Giorgi Chakvetadze.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Yasser Larouci (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Foul by Vakoun Bayo (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Substitution, Stoke City. Million Manhoef replaces Andrew Moran.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:38Substitution, Stoke City. Tatsuki Seko replaces Jordan Thompson.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:34Offside, Stoke City. Sam Gallagher is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:33Moussa Sissoko (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:33Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:31Substitution, Watford. Vakoun Bayo replaces Mamadou Doumbia.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:31Substitution, Watford. Moussa Sissoko replaces Tom Ince.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:31Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:30Foul by Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:28Substitution, Stoke City. Sam Gallagher replaces Ali Al-Hamadi.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:28Foul by Imrân Louza (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:18Corner, Watford. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:18Attempt saved. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Imrân Louza.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:17Attempt missed. Mamadou Doumbia (Watford) left footed shot from the left side of the box is close, but misses to the left. Assisted by Mattie Pollock.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:17Foul by Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:15Corner, Watford. Conceded by Ben Wilmot.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:13Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:10Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box following a fast break.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:09Foul by James Abankwah (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
16:07Tom Ince (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
16:06Second Half begins Stoke City 0, Watford 0.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:50First Half ends, Stoke City 0, Watford 0.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:50Foul by Mamadou Doumbia (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:49Yasser Larouci (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:47Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:47Fourth official has announced 3 minutes of added time.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:43Corner, Watford. Conceded by Jordan Thompson.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:41Corner, Watford. Conceded by Junior Tchamadeu.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:39Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:40Attempt missed. Enda Stevens (Stoke City) left footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:36Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:36Foul by Junior Tchamadeu (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:36Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:34Imrân Louza (Watford) is shown the yellow card.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:34Ben Pearson (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:36Delay in match because of an injury Yasser Larouci (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:32Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by James Abankwah.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:30Attempt missed. Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) right footed shot from outside the box.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:29Imrân Louza (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:27Attempt missed. Lewis Koumas (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the box.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:25Corner, Stoke City. Conceded by Yasser Larouci.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:24Yasser Larouci (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:18Foul by Enda Stevens (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:19Jeremy Ngakia (Watford) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:15Foul by Mattie Pollock (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:15Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:15Delay in match because of an injury Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:15Giorgi Chakvetadze (Watford) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:12Attempt blocked. Enda Stevens (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Lewis Koumas with a cross.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:10James Abankwah (Watford) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:09Offside, Stoke City. Ben Wilmot is caught offside.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:08Foul by James Abankwah (Watford).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:06Attempt missed. Edo Kayembe (Watford) left footed shot from outside the box.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:05Foul by Andrew Moran (Stoke City).
Stoke City vs Watford
15:06Attempt blocked. Ali Al-Hamadi (Stoke City) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked.
Stoke City vs Watford
15:01First Half begins.
Stoke City vs Watford
14:30Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Stoke City vs Watford
13:00Follow live football coverage with The Independent today.
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