Martin Atkinson brings an end to proceedings at the bet365 Stadium, and it is Liverpool who come away with an impressive 3-0 victory over Stoke to climb up to fifth in the Premier League table.

Sadio Mane broke the deadlock after 17 minutes of the first half, but it wasn't until Mohamed Salah's introduction that Liverpool were really able to wrap up the points as the Egypt international scored twice to seal the win - including one stunning volley.

CHANCES! Oh my word, we have just seen two of the worst misses for some time, from the same player and within a second of each other. First Mignolet is called into a low save to deny Shaqiri from the edge of the box, but the rebound falls straight to Diouf. He lashes a first-time effort against the post when he really should score, and the ball then bounces off Crouch and back to Diouf, who proceeds to lash a second effort over the bar in front of an open goal from six yards.

The linesman's flag spares his blushes for the second attempt, but he should have scored the first.

There will be three minutes of added time at the end of this match.

LIVERPOOL SUB: A third and final change for Liverpool as Jordan Henderson replaces Mane.

SAVE! Salah allows Wijnaldum to have it and the Dutch midfielder drills his effort down the middle of the goal as Grant tips it over the top.

This is Salah's first goal for your viewing pleasure, and he is now lining up a free kick in a very dangerous position...

STOKE SUB: Change for Stoke as another former Liverpool man enters the fray, with Charlie Adam replacing Fletcher.

Mohamed Salah just cannot stop scoring! The winger has climbed off the bench to help himself to another brace - his eighth goal of November!

Pieters makes a mess of a ball over the top under pressure from Salah, selling Grant far too short with his back-pass. Salah is immediately on to it and confidently strokes his finish past the keeper to make it 17 for the season.

CHANCE! Liverpool aren't done here as Mane gets in front of his man to meet a corner at the near post, but he can't steer his header on target.

UPDATE: Ashley Williams has made it 4-0 to Everton against a hapless West Ham at Goodison Park, but there could be an even bigger story emerging at the Etihad where Oriol Romeu has levelled things up for Southampton against leaders Man City. Could City's incredible winning run be coming to an end?

That is already Salah's 16th goal of the season across all competitions, including 11 in the Premier League. What a signing he is proving to be.

Surely that is game over now, and what a way to clinch the three points from Mohamed Salah.

The man can do nothing wrong at the moment, and this may be the best of his Liverpool lot so far. Mane darts in behind Fletcher to win the ball in a dangerous position before reaching the byline and standing his cross up into the middle. Salah meets it with a thunderous volley, and there is nothing Grant can do as it rips into the back of the net. Magnificent strike from the in-form Egyptian.

STOKE SUB: Stoke make their first change of the evening as Jese replaces Choupo-Moting.

YELLOW CARD! Mane is the latest name in the book - Liverpool's fifth of the evening.

Liverpool are pushing for a second goal here, with Milner seeing an effort blocked behind for a corner. Just over 15 minutes remaining in this one now.

UPDATE: Josh King has pulled a goal back for Bournemouth against Burnley, while Wayne Rooney has completed his hat-trick in some style, scoring from inside his own half to make it 3-0 to Everton against West Ham.

CHANCE! Big chance for Stoke to level things up as Pieters swings his cross to the back post for Crouch to knock down to Allen, but the midfielder blazes a fine chance well over the crossbar.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Double change for Liverpool as Oxlade-Chamberlain and Solanke and replaced by James Milner and Mohamed Salah.

YELLOW CARD! There was a small flare-up between Oxlade-Chamberlain and Martins Indi after that, and the Liverpool man also goes into the book. Quite a harsh one, that.

YELLOW CARD! Martins Indi is the first Stoke player in the book tonight for a really cynical challenge on Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Martin Atkinson is getting it in both ears here - Mignolet feels that he is fouled when coming to punch a free kick and Stoke then want a penalty for handball from the rebound. Neither are given, and both are the correct decisions.

YELLOW CARD! Wijnaldum is the third Liverpool name in the book tonight for a sliding challenge on Pieters. Free kick to Stoke in a dangerous area.

Liverpool will feel that they need another goal here. With their shaky defence a one-goal lead never feels like enough, particularly with Stoke's threat from set pieces.

Just half an hour remaining in this match now and chances have also been at a premium in this second half. Stoke are still very much in this game, though.

UPDATE: Three goals in five minutes for Arsenal now! Mesut Ozil has got in on the act to make it 4-0 against Huddersfield.

YELLOW CARD! Emre Can becomes the second name in the book tonight for a cynical challenge on Shaqiri.

UPDATE: Arsenal have scored twice in the space of less than two minutes to move into a 3-0 lead against Huddersfield, with Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez getting the goals.

Really good play from Oxlade-Chamberlain as he darts past two defenders to reach the byline before pulling the ball back into the middle. It is a hearts-in-mouths moment for Stoke, but there are no Liverpool players waiting to sweep it home.

UPDATE: Leader Manchester City have finally broken the deadlock at home to Southampton, and it has come via an own goal from Virgil van Dijk.

Elsewhere Burnley have doubled their lead at Bournemouth, with Robbie Brady getting the second for the Clarets.

Mignolet collects a corner in commanding fashion and immediately launches a counter-attack, but the pace soon comes out of it and Stoke get defenders back to deal with it.

CHANCE! Almost an early equaliser for Stoke through former Liverpool man Joe Allen! The Reds fail to deal with a Shaqiri ball into the box as the clearance is headed down into a dangerous area, where Allen attacks it. He meets it with a first-time shot, but Lovren gets an important touch on it to deflect it narrowly wide.

KICKOFF: Martin Atkinson gets us back underway for the second half amid a cacophony of boos - the referee is not the flavour of the month in the Potteries.

Stoke certainly feel that they have not have the rub of the green so far, with the most controversial incident of the lot seeing Mignolet shown only a yellow card for what could have easily been a sending-off.

The Liverpool keeper came racing out of his box and was nowhere near beating Diouf to the ball, instead hacking him to the ground and denying a clear goalscoing opportunity. Martin Atkinson deemed a yellow to be punishment enough, though, leaving Stoke furious.

The visitors could - and perhaps should - be further ahead having seen Solanke and Mane both squander clear chances in the latter stage of the half.

Solanke was the first to be denied when his effort was well held by Grant after he had been played through by Firmino, but Mane's was an even better opening. The Senegal international had all the time in the world to pick his spot having raced through on goal, but his subsequent effort hit the outside of the post.

The only goal of the game so far arrived after 17 minutes, which was the first real chance of the contest following a very slow opening period of the contest.

Stoke were left feeling hard done by as they thought that the ball had gone out of play before Gomez squeezed a cross in to Solanke, and their defence subsequently switched off. That allowed Solanke the chance to smuggle the ball to Mane, who took it in his stride before dinking a cute finish over Grant from close range.

The first half comes to an end at the bet365 Stadium, then, and most of the action was crammed into the final six minutes of that opening 45 - with the notable exception of the goal.

Clear chances have been few and far between, but those which have arrived have come for Liverpool. However, the Reds could well be down to 10 men too having seen Simon Mignolet escape a red card for a foul just outside the area.

SHOT! Can tries his luck in the dying seconds of the half, shifting the ball onto his right foot but curling a long-range curler well off target.

There will be just one minute of added time at the end of this first half.

This match was slow to get going, but it has really caught alight now. Liverpool could be almost out of sight following those chances for Solanke and Mane, but they could also been down to 10 men too.

OFF THE POST! Moments after seeing Mignolet stay on the field, Liverpool should be two ahead! Mane beats the offside trap and races clean through on goal, with only Grant to beat. If anything the Senegal international perhaps has too much time to think about it, and his subsequent effort hits the outside of the post on its way behind.

The resulting free kick from Shaqiri hits the wall and deflects behind for a corner, which is turn is flicked away from another corner. Liverpool survive that, but they can consider themselves mighty lucky.

YELLOW CARD! Stoke almost pull one back, and but for a very untidy challenge from Mignolet they would have! The Liverpool keepers rushes out of his box and hacks Diouf to the ground just outside the area, but Martin Atkinson only shows him a yellow card!

The fans want red, Mark Hughes wants red, and in all honesty Mignolet is very lucky to still be on the field. Diouf would have certainly scored had he not been hacked to ground - and even if Mignolet wasn't the last man the question could have been asked! It was a really poor challenge.

CHANCE! Chances have been very few and far between tonight, particularly ones as clear as this. Firmino flicks the ball brilliantly into the path of Solanke, who finds himself with only the keeper to beat, but Grant guesses the right way and holds on to it really well.

Stoke have made a slight change to their system here, with Diouf joining Crouch up front to match Liverpool's 4-4-2 system.

Just as I say that, a poor Matip clearance almost lets Stoke in. Once again they are unable to test Mignolet, but that was shaky defending from the visitors and it almost cost them.

Liverpool have done a good job of just stemming the momentum Stoke were beginning to build during a decent spell. The bet365 crowd have quietened down a little in the last few minutes.

This has been much better from Stoke in the last five minutes or so. They are asking more questions of the Liverpool defence now and seeing much more of the ball in attacking positions.

UPDATE: Everton have doubled their advantage at home to fellow strugglers West Ham, with Wayne Rooney getting his second of the night at Goodison Park.

Perhaps one of the reasons why Firmino turned down the chance to steal the goal on the line...

Allen looks to inject some pace into the Stoke attack by driving forward from midfielder - their best attacking move of the match. Diouf acrobatically keeps the ball in play and it eventually falls to Darren Fletcher, who catches a shot so sweetly but sees it strike a Liverpool defender. The rebound falls to Shaqiri, but he sends a wild first-time effort a long, long way off target.

SAVE! Shawcross can only clear a throw-in as far as Oxlade-Chamberlain, who takes a touch before firing a snapshot towards goal. He doesn't catch it perfectly, but Grant still spills it and needs two bites at the cherry to gather the ball.

Liverpool win their first corner of the game which Oxlade-Chamberlain swings in, but he fails to beat the first man as Diouf clears his lines.

We're midway through the first half now and that Liverpool goal is the only moment of any real note in this game so far. Liverpool will be pretty happy if that is still the case at full time given that they have the lead.

UPDATE: There has been a goal for a Merseyside team elsewhere too, with Wayne Rooney putting Everton ahead against West Ham with the rebound from a penalty he himself missed.

Elsewhere, Burnley have also broken the deadlock at Bournemouth through Chris Wood.

Stoke's fans and players felt that the ball went out of play before Gomez cut it back to Solanke, and the defence almost stopped playing as a result. The replays show that it was a good decision from the officials, though, and the goal correctly stands.

Liverpool break the deadlock with the first real chance of the match, and it is Sadio Mane who marks his return to the starting lineup with the opening goal!

Gomez just about keeps the ball in on the byline to clip the ball back for Solanke, who does really well to squeeze his pass into the feet of Mane. Mane's first touch is perfect and he then dinks his finish over the keeper from close range. Firmino is in attendance and could steal the goal himself, but he lets Mane have it instead. Very unselfish, although he would have been on the end of some stern words from Mane if he did steal it.

Really good defending from Moreno as he races back to get an important challenge in on Shaqiri just as it looked as though Stoke might have a promising attacking position. The Stoke fans want a free kick but Martin Atkinson is correct to wave play on.

Firmino is penalised for an aerial challenge on Shawcross, which leaves the latter in a heap on the floor - although he did appear to exaggerate the contact a little.

Someone needs to grab this game by the scruff of its neck. Stoke are being very careful not to leave any space in behind for the likes of Mane to exploit, and so far Liverpool have looked short of any other ideas. Still a long way to go, though.

There may not have been much to shout about so far, but the Liverpool fans are making noise nonetheless. Stoke are standing off Liverpool a little too much, but all of the visitors' possession is coming in front of the defence.

The majority of the play is coming around the halfway line at the moment, and it is just the Liverpool defenders passing it amongst themselves. Not the most thrilling start to a game I have ever seen, that's for sure.

Liverpool are controlling the possession in these opening exchanges, but nothing to speak of in terms of chances so far. The visitors have made a couple of bright breaks down the flanks, but they haven't been able to fashion anything out of that.

We expected the usual 4-3-3 formation from Liverpool, but it seems more like 4-4-2 in these opening exchanges, with Oxlade-Chamberlain and Mane on the wings and Firmino just behind Solanke up front.

UPDATE: There are five other Premier League matches taking place tonight, and there has already been some bad news for Liverpool in one of them - Alexandre Lacazette has given Arsenal the lead against Huddersfield.

KICKOFF: Here we go! Stoke get us underway at the bet365 Stadium!

Right, we're only a couple of minutes away from kickoff now, so let's have a quick reminder of the team news...

STOKE STARTING XI: Grant; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters; Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting, Crouch

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno; Wijnaldum, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mane, Firmino, Solanke

Stoke boss Mark Hughes has lost 11 of his 16 Premier League meetings with Liverpool, winning just twice, and in his entire managerial career he has only been beaten on more occasions by Chelsea.

That includes a 4-1 defeat in the reverse fixture last season, when Walters once again put Stoke ahead before Lallana, Firmino and Sturridge all scored in addition to an Imbula own goal to fire Liverpool to victory.

since that defeat, though, Liverpool have won three consecutive visits to the bet365 Stadium, each by a one-goal scoreline.

The most recent of those came in April when the Reds needed to come from behind having seen Jonathan Walters score his customary goal against Liverpool just before half time. A quickfire double from Brazilian duo Coutinho and Firmino turned the game around in the final 20 minutes, though, as Liverpool came away with all three points.

Liverpool have dominated the recent history between these two sides, winning seven of their last eight Premier League meetings including each of their last four.

The exception in that run was a particularly notable one, though, as Stoke ran out 6-1 winners on this very ground on the final day of the 2014-15 season, bringing Steven Gerrard's stellar Liverpool career to a nightmarish end.

PREDICTION: Right, we're just 10 minutes away from kickoff at the bet365 Stadium, which means that it is time for a prediction!

This match pits a pretty average home record against a pretty average away record, and with two dodgy defences on show we should at least be guaranteed goals. Stoke are in poor form at the moment, though, and we're backing Liverpool to come away with all three points from this one.

SPORTS MOLE SAYS: Stoke 1-3 Liverpool

The biggest problem for Liverpool recently has been dropping points in draws. Only West Brom have drawn more matches than the Reds' five so far this season, and in all competitions Liverpool have drawn their last two games prior to this one - squandering leads against both Sevilla - having been 3-0 up at half time - and Chelsea.

Liverpool have only lost one of their last 12 outings across all competitions, and two of their last 17 league games stretching back to last season, but too many of those games have ended in stalemates.

It is a curious change from what we were used to seeing from Klopp's side last season, and it is something which has severely hampered their title challenge so far - to the point where realistically they are already out of the face before December.

The Reds are seven points worse off than at the same stage of last season and, more importantly, already 14 adrift of Manchester City. The focus must now be on finishing in the top four once again, and victory tonight could be enough to take them there should Arsenal fail to beat Huddersfield.

It is a far cry from Liverpool's hugely impressive record against their top-six rivals last season, and sure enough the stats suggest that their inverse habit of struggling against 'lesser' teams and thriving against the big boys is beginning to subside.

Liverpool's last nine Premier League victories have all come against teams that started the day in the bottom half of their table, and in their 13 league games this season they have taken 19 points from a possible 21 against teams in the bottom half compared to only four points from 18 against teams in the top half. Indeed, Liverpool have failed to win any of their six outings against top-half opposition this season.

Liverpool have won two, drawn two and lost two of their six Premier League away games so far this term, but their only defeats have come against their top-six rivals.

Those matches against Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur also contributed nine of the goals they have conceded on the road, with City hitting them for five and Spurs recording a 4-1 victory at Wembley.

Liverpool's away record as a whole has been pretty mixed so far this season, winning four, drawing four and losing three games across all competitions, failing to win back-to-back matches in the process.

That is not something they can achieve this evening either courtesy of their collapse against Sevilla in the Champions League last week, although they could string together consecutive Premier League away wins for the first time this season.

The concern tonight in particular is that Liverpool's defence is at its worst when they play away from home. The Reds actually have a very good defensive record at Anfield, conceding just two goals in their seven outings, but on the road it is an entirely different story.

Sixteen of their 18 goals conceded this term have come on their travels, which is the highest tally in the entire league counting on away games. You have to go back to last season for Liverpool's last away clean sheet, coming in a 4-0 victory over West Ham in May.

Only the two Manchester clubs have found the back of the net more often than Liverpool in the Premier League this season and, while they may be missing the chief tormentor in Mohamed Salah, the likes of Mane and Firmino are more than capable of doing the damage themselves.

Like Stoke, it is the defence which has let Liverpool down more than anything else this term, with the Reds having conceded the most goals in the top six and three more than even 19th-placed Swansea City.

Only Bournemouth, West Brom, West Ham and Swansea have amassed fewer points in front of their own fans this season, and there will be plenty of fans expecting very little from this game tonight too.

Morale is low in the Stoke camp following that late Palace winner at the weekend, and unless they improve those defensive vulnerabilities then they could be in for a long night tonight. This is the highest number of goals they have ever conceded at this stage of a Premier League season, and they are coming up against a Liverpool side who can put teams in the sword in the blink of an eye.

Of those, only the Man City mauling came away from home, but their record here at the bet365 Stadium has not been as good as you might expect for a club like Stoke.

The Potters have won just one of their last five home league games, and none since September's 2-1 triumph over Southampton. Indeed, should they fail to come out on top this evening then it would be the first time they have gone three consecutive Premier League home games without a win since September 2016.

Matters at the sharp end of the field are not too worrying right now, with no team having scored more than Stoke outside the top nine, but they simply must sort out that defensive weakness - particularly against a team who can be so devastating going forward like Liverpool.

Stoke have already conceded 13 goals in four matches against top-six opposition this season - an average of more than three per game - although their results in those games have actually been quite mixed with victory over Arsenal and a draw with the previously-perfect Manchester United being followed by heavy defeats to Chelsea (0-4) and Manchester City (2-7).

Mark Hughes's side come into this match without a win in their last three Premier League outings dating back to a 1-0 win at Watford last month, with the most recent of those seeing them concede a gutting late winner against Crystal Palace on Saturday.

It is their defensive record which will be of the most concern to Highes too, with Stoke having conceded at least two goals in nine of their last 11 matches across all competitions - including four in one and seven in another.

Only three points separate Stoke from the relegation zone heading into this match, thanks largely to a run of just one win from their last six Premier League games and only two wins from their last 12 outings across all competitions - losing half of those.

Indeed, since their impressive victory over Arsenal in the second week of the season Stoke have only won twice in 11 Premier League games, drawing four and losing five in that time.

Stoke's 13-point haul at an average of one point per game puts them on course for a season total of 38, which would at the very least leave them sweating over survival until the closing weeks of the season.

It is also their joint worst-ever points haul after 13 games of the Premier League season, levelling their tally from the 2013-14 season, so the alarm bells really should be ringing for the Potters right now.

Mark Hughes has largely kept faith with the same team that fell to defeat against bottom club Crystal Palace, then, and in the aftermath of Saturday's loss he insisted that his side had performed well despite conceding that late equaliser from Liverpool old boy Mamadou Sakho.

However, the Potters are fast approaching the position where good performances without points will not be appreciated, and Hughes needs his side to start picking up some victories sooner rather than later.

In midfield Darren Fletcher makes his 105th consecutive Premier League appearance alongside Joe Allen, while Mame Biram Diouf and Erik Pieters will provide the width from wing-back.

Mark Hughes has again opted for a three-man defence, with Zouma and Shawcross joining Martins Indi in that back line and Grant continuing to deputise for the injured Butland in goal.

Wimmer will be on the bench alongside Saido Berahino, who returns to the matchday squad this evening after being left out entirely during the defeat to Crystal Palace.

The former West Brom man is very much behind the likes of Choupo-Moting and Crouch in the pecking order, though, and arguably Stoke's most potent attacking threat will come from Xherdan Shaqiri, who has scored two goals and created four more in his last six games for the Potters. His fine solo strike against Palace on Saturday was his 10th Premier League goal and his seventh from outside the box, with only five players in Premier League history having netted a higher percentage of their goals from range.

Crouch replaces Ramadan Sobhi in the side as the winger drops to the bench, although he is thought to have fully recovered from the ankle knock he picked up during that loss to Crystal Palace last weekend.

The only other change comes in defence as Bruno Martins Indi returns to the fold, replacing Kevin Wimmer in the starting XI as the Austrian drops to the bench

Stoke, by contrast, have made only two changes from the team that lost to Crystal Palace at the weekend, and the most notable of those sees Peter Crouch handed his first Premier League start of the season.

The striker will line up against his former club tonight having signed a new one-year contract at Stoke yesterday, and he will feel that it is about time he got his chance from the start. Crouch has been consigned to a substitute role for the most part this season, but he is still Stoke's leading scorer.

There is also a change at the back for Liverpool as Dejan Lovren returns from his own injury troubles having passed a late fitness test to partner Joel Matip at the heart of the defence.

Joe Gomez is once again selected ahead of Alexander-Arnold while Moreno retains his spot at left-back, making it six changes in all for the visitors this evening and a very strong bench too.

Klopp has interestingly left out a number of players who have good records against Stoke, with Sturridge having scored four and assisted one more in his five Premier League appearances against the Potters for Liverpool and Philippe Coutinho having scored in his last two games against Mark Hughes's side.

Both start tonight's match on the bench, though, with Coutinho being replaced in midfield by Emre Can, who has recovered from a muscular problem to start. Including Oxlade-Chamberlain it is also a completely changed midfield trio as Henderson and Milner join Coutinho in dropping to the bench and Wijnaldum comes into the side.

Sturridge, incidentally, is another of the players to drop out of the side for tonight's match having been handed a surprise start against Chelsea, with young Dominic Solanke being awarded a rare start of his own in an entirely changed front three.

Oxlade-Chamberlain started as an attacker against Chelsea but moves into his favoured central midfield position this evening as Sadio Mane and Roberto Firmino - both of whom were rested at the weekend - return up front.

What can we make of those two sides, then?

Well, we'll have a look at the hosts in a moment, but let's start with a very interesting team selection from Jurgen Klopp as a number of big players miss out on the starting XI this evening.

Chief among them in Mohamed Salah, who is rested for this game despite scoring his 15th goal of the season against Chelsea last time out - more than any Liverpool player has managed in an entire season since Luis Suarez left the club. Salah has also scored 10 league goals in his opening 13 Premier League games for the club, levelling the record now jointly held by Daniel Sturridge.

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Karius, Alexander-Arnold, Milner, Henderson, Coutinho, Salah, Sturridge

LIVERPOOL STARTING XI: Mignolet; Gomez, Matip, Lovren, Moreno; Wijnaldum, Can, Oxlade-Chamberlain; Mane, Firmino, Solanke

STOKE SUBS: Haugaard, Wimmer, Berahino, Jese, Afellay, Adam, Ramadan

STOKE STARTING XI: Grant; Zouma, Shawcross, Martins Indi; Diouf, Fletcher, Allen, Pieters; Shaqiri, Choupo-Moting, Crouch

Good evening! Thank you very much for joining Sports Mole for tonight's Premier League clash between Stoke City and Liverpool at the bet365 Stadium!

Last night's first batch of midweek fixtures provided plenty of entertainment, and hopefully we are in store for some more this evening with both sides in need of victory for very different reasons.

We will have a closer look at both in a short while, but first let's check out the team news...