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12:45pm: Stoke City vs Manchester City

Britannia Stadium
A windswept Britannia Stadium plays host to the opening Premier League game of the afternoon. Getty Images

Full time: Stoke 2-0 Manchester City

On of the most one-sided games of the season. Stoke sweep City aside with a stylish performance which is another dent to Manuel Pellegrini's side's hopes of claiming the title. Marko Arnautovic will grab the headlines with two goals but Bojan and Xherdan Shaqiri torn City to shreds at times. The visitors were lacklustre and looked beaten from the outset.

Well that is all the time we have for on this particular live text. We're across the six 3pm kick-offs so join us here for all the goals from the remainder of today's games. Until then, goodbye.

Stoke trying to close this game out now, despite having the numerical advantage. City pressing as hard as they can but the Champions League visit of Borussia Monchengladbach in mid-week must now be in the back of their minds.

Manchester City down to ten men. Manuel Pellegrini has made all three of his substitutions and when Fernando picks up what is clearly a hamstring injury he is forced to withdraw, leaving the leaders a man down. That might be that, as far as a comeback is concerned.

Arnautovic misses another chance to claim his hat-trick and but the game beyond City - and Manuel Pellegrini is responding to that near-miss with two changes. Iheanacho and Delph on for Bony and Fernandinho.

Fabian Delph spent most of half time warming up but Manuel Pellegrini has decided against making any changes for the second half - which is now under way.

Half time: Stoke 2-0 Manchester City

City shell shocked and windswept at the Britannia Stadium. Marko Arnautovic has the hosts two up at the break with two fine goals but Manuel Pellegrini's side have been woeful. Arnautovic missed the chance to put the game beyond doubt at the end of the half and cold that come back to haunt Mark Hughes' side?

How big a moment could that be? Marko Arnatovic goes clean through and his effort is half saved by Joe Hart and the ball clatters against the post. City should be gone here.

Jack Butland finally tested as City push as the first half comes to an end. Kolarov shoots from an impossible angle but Jack Butland keeps it out with a combination of foot and post.

Stoke already two to the good and it could have been three. A cross from the left isn't dealt with and Arnautovic - slightly blindsided by Otamendi missing the cross entirely - heads wide when he could have claimed his hat-trick.

Goal: Stoke 2-0 Manchester City (Marko Arnautovic)

A quarter of an hour barely on the clock and Stoke City are almost out of sight. Shaqiri turns past Fernando and threads a brilliant ball in between Demichelis and Otamendi to Arnautovic who tucks the ball beyond the onrushing Joe Hart. This coming after Kevin de Bruyne was denied in City's best opening at the other end.

Goal: Stoke 1-0 Manchester City (Marko Arnautovic)

I wrote about the soft-centered Man City back four and they go behind inside seven minutes. Shaqiri ghosts past Kolarov down the right and his cross into the six yard box sees Arnautovic get there first to slam past Joe Hart.

Under way at the Potteries.

Teams are out and we're almost ready to go at the Britannia. Can Stoke stage another shock? Will City overcome their injury problems? And what part with the weather play? All those answers and more on the way.

Less than 10 minutes until kick-off at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke have proven in the past to be a tough nut to crack and of course they already have a home win over champions Chelsea under their belts. City have arguably the the most talented squad in the top flight but if they short of their best, their jittery back-four can contribute to their back four.

They appear to be weekly occurrences, but this afternoon is another test of a potential title contender with Manchester City traveling to Stoke without three key players. Vincent Kompany has been out for a sustained period, Yaya Toure has been somewhat out of form but Sergio Aguero is out again despite returning for a lengthy spell out - which must be huge frustration for Manuel Pellegrini. It is a big afternoon for Wilfried Bony who will lead the attack.

Five wins in their last eight games has seen Mark Hughes turn things around after a shaky start to the campaign. This club have gone from Premier League survivors to top half contenders and may even flirt with a European place this season. The summer additions of Afellay and Shaqiri may not have paid off yet but when they click into gear they could really threaten the top eight this season.

Mark Hughes on BT Sport: "After six games it was our worst start, after 12 games it was our best so we're back on track. We want to improve our possession stats but not at the detriment to other parts of our play."

Manuel Pellegrini on BT Sport: "It is very important that you have your top playes in every game. The important thing is to be focused game by game and get the three points today with the players that can play."

Remember this is the first of eight matches in the Premier League today, which could see one of four sides finish the day top of the pile. Jamie Vardy goes in search of a top flight record equalling 12th consecutive Premier League goal among other things, with Arsenal and Manchester United also in action.

BT Sport have just shown two sterile interviews with Xherdan Shaqiri and Wilfried Bony ahead of this game, hardly the ideal build-up to a game which could well be overshadowed by wind and rain.

Interesting Stoke City team fort he visit of the Premier League leaders. Bojan will lead the attack with Arnautovic and Shaqiri also included, with Geoff Cameron adopting a role at the base of the midfield. Something tells me Mark Hughes has seen what Liverpool did to them a fortnight ago.

Manchester City have made four changes with the aforementioned trio of Kompany, Aguero and Toure all missing out. Fernando comes into the midfield and Wilfried Bony plays in attack. Crucially, David Silva returns.

Teams:

Stoke City: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Cameron, Whelan, Afellay, Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic

Manchester City: Hart, Sagna, Demichelis, Otamendi, Kolarov, Fernandinho, Fernando, de Bruyne, Silva, Sterling, Bony

With Storm Desmond sweeping its way across the UK, what impact will it have on the Premier League fixtures? It might ensure we have a few scrappy affairs while goalkeepers up and down the country will be fearing being caught out by the windy conditions. A nervy 90 minutes faces each of them this afternoon.

We're awaiting confirmation of both teams from the Britannia, but this is what we already know about how they will line up.

Stoke welcome back Ryan Shawcross after suspension, but his return is off-set by the absence of Peter Crouch due to a hamstring problem suffered in the Capital One Cup win over Sheffield Wednesday.

Manchester City are without Vincent Kompany, Yaya Toure and Sergio Aguero all due to injury, but they do welcome back Joe Hart after a hamstring problem and playmaker David Silva.

A bumper Premier League Saturday is kick-started by the leaders Manchester City, who travel to Stoke City. Manuel Pellegrini can guarantee they will finish the weekend top of the pile with a win at the Britannia Stadium but they take on a former manager in the form of Mark Hughes. The Potters added impressively in the summer but the results have not yet followed. Arsenal, Manchester United and Leicester City all lie in wait if City slip up. Teams news on the way.