Stoke City

Sam Fletcher
BBC Final Score reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke have the best defence in the league, only 23 goals have made it past them so far this season.

Injured goalkeeper Viktor Johansson has received a lot of praise for this statistic but watching the team without him, I think the back four deserve equal plaudits.

They are like a brick wall. Watching on, you have confidence that they will win duels, chase down every ball and keep fighting until the last breath.

They left very little for new goalkeeper, Southampton loanee Gavin Bazunu, to do on his Stoke debut and it's now four clean sheets in four.

However, a great defence doesn't win games or help lift Stoke back into the play-offs.

If the attack can match the defence, they'll be near unbeatable but after one of their strikers Divin Mubama was stretchered off against QPR, there may be work to do.

Mark Robins was pleased with his Stoke City side's efforts during their 0-0 draw with fellow Championship promotion hopefuls Queens Park Rangers - but he was angered by the challenge which he fears has left striker Divin Mubama with a broken leg.

Mubama, on loan from Manchester City, was stretchered off in the early stages of the second half after being on the receiving end of a challenge from Hoops defender Jimmy Dunne, who was booked for his troubles.

Robins described the tackle as a 'terrible' one and although he was heartened by his side's showing, he indicated that his thin squad must be aided in the transfer window.

He told BBC Radio Stoke: "I'm incredibly proud of the players. I thought they gave us everything again.

"The support was outstanding, they got right behind the team the whole way through. There are things I'm frustrated with that I can't talk about, but everyone will know what I'm talking about.

"With Divin, it looks like a broken ankle, or broken fibula. It was just a terrible, terrible tackle. There were some blatantly poor decisions.

"I feel aggrieved it's ended up 0-0 in a game that was disrupted by them in a number of ways. How teams can get away with that in this day and age is beyond me.

"I'm really frustrated because, again, they've given everything, we've created chances, we're down to the bare bones and now we've got a broken leg.

"We need some help, which is easier said than done, but I've got to find a way of patching the team up and getting them out on Wednesday."

Image source, Opta

Stoke City will go in search of a fourth straight win as they welcome QPR to the Bet365 Stadium on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Potters climbed back up to eighth in the Championship, within a point of the play-offs, after wins, and clean sheets, at Hull and Norwich, before a 1-0 success against Coventry in the FA Cup third round last Saturday.

The R's are three places and two points further back but have taken a single point from their past four away games and went down 2-1 at West Ham in the FA Cup on Sunday.

• Stoke City have won their past two home league games against QPR, beating them 1-0 in 2023/24 and 3-1 in 2024/25.

• QPR are looking to record their first league double over Stoke City since beating them twice in the 2019/20 campaign.

• Stoke have won their first two league games in 2026, beating Hull and Norwich. The Potters last started a calendar year with three wins back in 2004.

• QPR striker Richard Kone scored three goals in his first four Championship appearances, scoring with all three shots on target. Since then, he has just two goals in 20 matches, enjoying an overall shot conversion ratio of just 5.3% in those 20 games.

• No player has been involved in more Championship goals this season than Stoke's Sorba Thomas (9 goals, 6 assists), although he only has one assist (and no goals) in seven appearances against QPR.

Stoke City are in advanced talks to sign Hull City full-back Cody Drameh on loan. (Sky Sports), external

The 24-year-old joined The Tigers from Leeds United in July 2024.

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip column here.

Ben Pearson hopes Stoke have turned the corner and can look forward to the Championship run-in with excitement.

The Potters picked up just one win, and four points from seven games either side of Christmas, to drop to 10th in the Championship, as low as they have been all season.

However three straight wins in January - league victories at Hull and Norwich, then Saturday's FA Cup win over Coventry - keeping a clean sheet in each, have lifted spirits at the bet365 Stadium.

Midfielder Pearson told BBC Radio Stoke: "We're in a good place. December was a tough month, not the results we wanted, but the performances have still been reasonably good.

"As long as performances are good, results will start to come and you've seen that over the past three games.

"Confidence is high, we're in a good place. We can see where we are going, there's positivity and excitement about where the season can go.

"We've got something to play for this year. There's no real big-hitters in the league - it's very even. There are probably 10 teams who could all get in those play-offs spots. We've played everyone now and there aren't many teams better than us on our day."

QPR and Middlesbrough head to the Potteries on Saturday and Wednesday respectively and the 31-year-old added: "Winning breeds winning. We have got two home games and we're looking to take maximum points."

Fans will also get to enjoy a home tie in round four of the FA Cup after Saturday's dramatic win over the high-flying Sky Blues ensured a home meeting with Premier League Fulham.

"It's a good draw. Home is handy," said Pearson. "It's a Premier League team, not to be sniffed at. It's a good opportunity to go through, it's not a Man City or Arsenal, a big glamorous tie, it's one that's against really good opposition but we can try to go through."

Southampton keeper Gavin Bazunu is a target for Stoke following Viktor Johansson's injury, with a loan deal for 23-year-old Republic of Ireland international in the offing with a clause to make the move permanent in the summer. (Irish Independent, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Monday's gossip column here.

Image source, Getty Images

The 2025-26 FA Cup fourth-round draw will take place on Monday, 12 January at approximately 18:35 GMT.

Proceedings will take place before kick-off in the third-round tie between Liverpool and Barnsley at Anfield.

Former England internationals Steven Gerrard and Joe Cole will conduct the draw that will consist of 32 teams live on TNT Sports.

Supporters can also follow the draw on the BBC Sport website and app.

All matches will be played around the weekend commencing Saturday, 14 February.

Unlike in previous years, there are no replays if matches end as a draw. All ties will go to extra time, and if necessary, a penalty shootout.

Non-league Macclesfield are the lowest-ranked team in the draw after beating holders Crystal Palace in a remarkable 2-1 victory.

What are the ball numbers?

• 1. Wolverhampton Wanderers

• 2. Southampton

• 3. Aston Villa

• 4. Port Vale

• 5. Wigan Athletic

• 6. Ipswich Town

• 7. Wrexham

• 8. Chelsea

• 9. Manchester City

• 10. West Ham United

• 11. Brentford

• 12. Fulham

• 13. Sunderland

• 14. Liverpool or Barnsley

• 15. Burnley

• 16. Norwich City

• 17. Arsenal

• 18. Leeds United

• 19. West Bromwich Albion

• 20. Salford City or Swindon Town

• 21. Burton Albion

• 22. Grimsby Town

• 23. Hull City

• 24. Newcastle United

• 25. Oxford United

• 26. Leicester City

• 27. Birmingham City

• 28. Bristol City

• 29. Stoke City

• 30. Macclesfield

• 31. Brighton & Hove Albion

• 32. Mansfield Town

Pundits Dion Dublin and Rob Green join host Jason Mohammad to bring you the action and talking points from Friday and Saturday's FA Cup ties.

Watch on BBC iPlayer here

And listen back to full match commentaries on BBC Sounds:

• Wrexham 3-3 (4-3 pens) Nottingham Forest

• Preston North End 0-1 Wigan

• Macclesfield Town 2-1 Crystal Palace

• Everton 1-1 (0-3 pens) Sunderland

• Wolves 6-1 Shrewsbury Town

• Fulham 3-1 Middlesbrough

• Manchester City 10-1 Exeter City

• Newcastle 3-3 (7-6 pens) Bournemouth

• Stoke City 1-0 Coventry City

• Tottenham 1-2 Aston Villa

• Bristol City 5-1 Watford

• Cambridge United 2-3 Birmingham City

• Charlton 1-5 Chelsea

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke's Stoke City commentator

Image source, Rex Features

Despite losing the consensus pick as the best goalkeeper in the Championship and all of their recognised full-backs, Stoke City's defence keeps keeping clean sheets.

Ashley Phillips and Ben Wilmot have been immense at the heart of a back four that has become ever more patched up and were again in the FA Cup against Coventry.

The players who have covered at left and right-back have done so bravely and intelligently.

The biggest compliment anyone can give Tommy Simkin is that the young goalkeeper has not looked out of place since replacing the injured Viktor Johansson.

He made a couple of smart saves against Coventry and will take immense confidence from the way he has acquitted himself over the past few weeks, never looking out of place.

It is very difficult to succeed long term in the face of such issues, but two league wins and another in the FA Cup have left Stoke in a much better position than anyone could reasonably expect given the circumstances.

But this was not a backs-to-the-wall performance by any means.

Stoke created five or six clear-cut chances, had a goal ruled out for a close offside and Lamine Cisse's brilliant winner deserved to be decisive.

Having taken time to adapt to English football, Cisse is offering a realistic alternative to the established Million Manhoef now as a genuine option in attack.

Coventry hit the woodwork twice and had moments of their own but cannot claim they were hard done by.

They are obviously an excellent Championship team and with players on their way back from injury and the transfer window still open, Stoke have once again shown that a cup run and a place in the play-offs are there for the taking.

Stoke manager Mark Robins hailed the "perfection" of Lamine Cisse's late winner against Coventry City in the FA Cup third round.

Robins told BBC Radio Stoke: "We had some good chances and good play, and didn't take them. Then you're almost waiting for a sucker punch, and it almost came in the second half as they hit the post a couple of times.

"The goal was deserving of winning any football match because the technique and the strike were perfect. It was brilliant to see it hit the back of the net.

"We're down to the bare bones and I'm trying to give people rests, but they had a really strong team out there and we managed to fashion chances for ourselves.

"We have seven players out - Junior Tchamadeu went down with an injury last night and I'm hoping he's going to be OK. We don't know yet."

There are 18 third-round ties in the FA Cup on Saturday - 16 involving Premier League and Championship teams, who all enter the competition at this stage - and BBC Sport will bring you every moment.

• Cheltenham v Leicester (12:15) - BBC Radio Leicester

• Everton v Sunderland (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Macclesfield v Crystal Palace (12:15) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live & BBC Radio Manchester

• Wolves v Shrewsbury (12:15) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3 & BBC Radio WM

• Boreham Wood v Burton Albion

• Burnley v Millwall - BBC Radio London

• Doncaster v Southampton - BBC Radio Solent

• Fulham v Middlesbrough - BBC Radio 5 Live

• Ipswich v Blackpool - BBC Radio Suffolk

• Man City v Exeter City - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

• Newcastle v Bournemouth - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 & BBC Radio Newcastle

• Salford P-P Swindon

• Sheff Wed v Brentford

• Stoke v Coventry - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 3, BBC Radio Stoke & BBC Radio CWR

• Bristol City v Watford (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra, BBC Radio Bristol and BBC Three Counties Radio

• Cambridge United v Birmingham (17:45) - BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2

• Grimsby v Weston (17:45)

• Tottenham v Aston Villa (17:45) - BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

• Charlton v Chelsea (20:00) - BBC Radio 5 Live and BBC Radio London

Kick-off times 15:00 GMT unless stated

Follow all of the action and reaction here

And find out how to follow the FA Cup across the BBC this weekend here

You can also listen to today's 5 Live commentaries on most smart speakers. Just say "ask BBC Sounds to play Fulham v Middlesbrough" or "ask BBC Sounds to play Tottenham v Aston Villa", for instance.

Find out more about how to listen to football on BBC Sounds

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City full-back Junior Tchamadeu saw his first Africa Cup of Nations campaign with Cameroon end in painful fashion.

The 22-year-old was carried off on a stretcher with a knee injury after just 24 minutes of their quarter-final defeat by the hosts Morocco in Rabat.

Tchamadeu, who scored his first senior international goal in a 2-1 win over South Africa earlier in the competition, was injured after Morocco's Manchester United defender Noussair Mazraoui accidentally landed on his knee following a challenge.

Morocco won the game 2-0 and will now face either Algeria or Nigeria in the semi-finals on Wednesday, 14 January (20:00 GMT).

Stoke host Coventry in the FA Cup third round on Saturday (15:00 GMT) but the Potters will now be concerned as to the severity of Tchamadeu's injury when he returns to England.

Image source, Shutterstock

Stoke City have announced forward Andre Vidigal has left the Championship club by mutual consent.

The 27-year-old Angola international joined the Potters from Portuguese side Maritimo before the start of the 2023-24 season on a three-year contract.

Vidigal went on to make 43 appearances for Stoke - and scored seven times - but has not played a league game since December 2024.

His last appearance for Stoke was against Cardiff City in the FA Cup last February.