Leicester have given out around 30,000 Jamie Vardy masks to supporters ahead of their St Stephen's Day game against Everton in a move widely regarded as being in response to the striker's ban.

Chelsea strengthened their grip at the top of the Premier League as they claimed a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace.

Crystal Palace eased their growing worries as a 3-0 victory at home to Southampton ended a six-match losing streak.

Man City have earned more penalties in three games than some teams manage in a season.

Manchester City warmed up for Real Madrid by moving back into third place in the Premier League with a 4-0 victory over Stoke.

The shifting sands of the Premier League moved yet again on Transfer Deadline Day as the big six opted to ‘stick’ while those below them continued to spend and flex their new-found muscles.

Stoke 2 Bournemouth 1: Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe admitted things did not look good for Callum Wilson after the Cherries’ top scorer was carried off on a stretcher having suffered a knee injury early on under a challenge from Philipp Wollscheid.

Tottenham 2  Stoke 2          

If Steven Gerrard was wondering beforehand how to describe his final game for Liverpool then woeful, shocking and embarrassing would not have been the words he would have had in mind.

Hull’s season ended in painful frustration as the Tigers were relegated from the Premier League after being held to a goalless draw by Manchester United.

Leicester climbed off the bottom of the Barclays Premier League as a 2-0 home win over Swansea gave them a third successive victory.

Stoke City 2 Everton 0: Everton endured further Barclays Premier League misery, as goals from Victor Moses and Mame Biram Diouf condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Stoke.

Stoke 2 Everton 0

Aston Villa 1 Stoke City 2: Tim Sherwood has admitted that losing his first game as Aston Villa boss is one of the lowest points of his career.

Ten-man Stoke suffered FA Cup embarrassment at Ewood Park as they were torn apart 4-1 by a second-string Blackburn side with Josh King, one of those fringe players, scoring a hat-trick.

Newcastle 1 Stoke 1: By Mark Hughes’s usual abrasive standards, his criticism of referee Kevin Friend was calm and measured, but that was only because the Stoke City manager had seen substitute Peter Crouch earn his team a deserved point with a 90th-minute header.

Stoke striker Peter Crouch came off the bench to snatch a draw at Newcastle with a dramatic late equaliser.

All the team news from around the grounds ahead of Week 22 in the Premier League.

Substitute Stephen Ireland scored twice as Stoke pulled off a late comeback to beat Wrexham 3-1 at the Britannia Stadium and avoid being the victims of an FA Cup giant-killing.

Manchester United's faint Premier League title hopes receded even further as they began 2015 with a disappointing 1-1 draw at Stoke this afternoon.

Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan hopes the club can develop some real momentum heading into the second half of the season after rounding off 2014 with back-to-back wins.

Stoke 2 West Brom 0

Everton 0 Stoke 1

Premier League team news.

Stoke 0 Chelsea 2

Stoke held on to beat Arsenal 3-2 after a dramatic afternoon at the Britannia Stadium.

Premier League

Manchester United 2 Stoke 1

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had no idea it was the 16th anniversary of Steven Gerrard’s debut and felt bad leaving him out of the team for the 1-0 win over Stoke.

Tottenham 1 Stoke 2

Chelsea survived a scare to maintain their four-point lead at the top of the Barclays Premier League with a 2-1 victory over neighbours QPR.

Stoke 2 Southampton 3

Team news for the 3pm games in the Premier League

Premier League Stoke City 1 Newcastle United 0

QPR 2 Stoke 2

Andreas Weimann’s second-half strike proved the difference as Aston Villa won 1-0 at Stoke on the opening day of the Barclays Premier League season.

10 teams are starting their Premier League campaigns this afternoon.

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo matched each other blow for blow at the Nou Camp last night, bagging two goals apiece as Barcelona and Real Madrid battled out an entertaining draw in the first Clasico of the Primera Division season.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis reflected on a thrilling seven-month adventure to the corners of the continent after his side’s Europa League run was finally brought to an end by Valencia in the last 32 last night.

Four goals from Lionel Messi put third-placed Valencia to the sword on a night when Barcelona could have scored a dozen but for the efforts of visiting goalkeeper Diego Alves.

Hannover have confirmed the signing of striker Mame Biram Diouf from Manchester United for an undisclosed fee.

With the transfer window about to open again Andy Hampson looks at who will be buying and who will be selling over January

Alex Ferguson is preparing to send young strikers Federico Macheda and Mame Biram Diouf out on loan in January after being concerned at how their fitness levels compared to the Crystal Palace players in midweek.