Manchester City saw their grip at the Premier League table weaken as they fell to a 2-0 defeat against Stoke City.
The Potters did all the hard work in the first half, scoring both goals inside the opening 15 minutes at the Britannia Stadium.
Marko Arnautovic opened the scoring when converting Xherdan Shaqiri's cross from close range, before the two linked up again for the Austrian forward to race through and beat Joe Hart.
Relive how the 90 minutes of action unfolded with Sports Mole's live text coverage below.
Hello and welcome to Sports Mole's live coverage of the Premier League meeting between Stoke City and Manchester City at the Britannia Stadium. This weekend's top-flight action gets underway in the Potteries, where the Citizens will be looking to tighten their grip at the summit at a ground they have notoriously struggled to pick up wins in the past.
Stoke have the top half of the table in their sights, meanwhile, and will be eager to build on their League Cup success in midweek with another victory here this afternoon. Plenty of subplots to this match, then, which should provide us with an entertaining way to get this big day of sporting action underway.
One of those aforementioned subplots is a showdown between Mark Hughes and former suitors Man City. It is not the first time the Welshman has come up against the Citizens, though, and it certainly will not be the last. Hughes is always forced to play down any bitterness felt over his exit six years ago, but you get the impression that he would love to get one over on City this afternoon.
The team news has just been released at the Britannia Stadium, so let's get straight into our live coverage by checking out how the two sides line up for this big showdown.
TEAM NEWS!
STOKE CITY XI: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Cameron, Whelan, Affelay, Shaqiri, Bojan, Arnautovic
MANCHESTER CITY XI: Hart, Sagna, Otamendi, Demichelis, Kolarov, De Bruyne, Fernando, Fernandinho, Silva, Sterling, Bony
As expected, Sergio Aguero does not make the Manchester City squad this afternoon due to the latest injury he picked up last weekend. The prolific forward was initially positive that he would be fit in time for the trip to the Britannia, but the Citizens clearly do not want to rush back arguably their most important attacking player. Wilfried Bony is given the nod up top in his absence.
At the opposite end of the field, City are given some far more positive news with the return of Joe Hart in goals. The England international has quickly recovered from an injury of his own, and replaces Willy Caballero between the sticks today. Possibly the biggest selection decision made by Manuel Pellegrini comes in midfield, though, where David Silva makes a welcome return.
The mercurial Spaniard makes his first start since the 6-1 thrashing of Newcastle United at the start of October. While this is a strong-looking lineup on the face of it, Pellegrini still has to contend with the loss of Aguero, Yaya Toure, Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Samir Nasri, while Eliaquim Mangala is also missing through suspension.
It will be particularly interesting to see how Nicolas Otamendi and Martin Demichelis handle the Stoke pace around the back this afternoon. City have kept just two clean sheets in their last nine league outings, coming on the back of a run of five in a row to kick off the campaign, which many put down to the absence of skipper Kompany.
In terms of the home side, they can call upon the services of Ryan Shawcross in the heart of defence once more following his one-match ban in midweek. Peter Crouch made a rare start in that one before limping off, so he misses out on an appearance against the Citizens today, meaning a return to the squad for Mame Diouf.
Mark Hughes has taken the surprising decision to leave Jonathan Walters out of his starting lineup, instead bringing in Ibrahim Afellay to perhaps exploit the visitors around the back. The only other change from last weekend's defeat to Sunderland sees Geoff Cameron come in for Charlie Adam in the centre of the park.
BENCH WATCH!
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Joselu, Wilson, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Walters
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Navas, Kelechi, Delph, Garcia, Clichy, Humphreys
So Charlie Adam and Jonathan Walters both have to settle for a place among the Stoke subs, while Mame Diouf is back in the matchday squad following his recent absence for family reasons. Willy Caballero is one of those to drop out for the visitors, meanwhile, as is Fabian Delph who is still looking to reach peak fitness levels.
Sergio Aguero misses out for Manchester City in this lunchtime kickoff, so there is another chance for Wilfried Bony to impress up top. The Ivorian will be up against the returning Ryan Shawcross, who is back from his recent one-match ban.
At the start of play this afternoon, Stoke know that they can climb above both Watford and Southampton into the top half of the table with a win here today. It was certainly a slow start to the campaign under Mark Hughes, with the Potters looking over their shoulders for the first couple of months, but since then things have certainly improved at the Britannia Stadium.
Despite that shaky start to the campaign, bettering last season's ninth-place finish is very much on the agenda for Hughes this time around. Throw into the mix some silverware courtesy of the League Cup, and this could very well be his best campaign in the Potteries to date. Victory over Sheffield Wednesday in midweek sealed a first semi-final appearance in the domestic competition in some 43 years - now the final is within touching distance.
One thing that has been repeatedly talked about when it comes to Stoke during their time in the Premier League is the perecieved improved style of play under Hughes. The approach adopted by Tony Pulis was certainly effective, and there will be little complaints among supporters following what was a hugely successful spell under the Newport-born gaffer. This season has seen things move up a notch, though, with 326 passes being completed per game.
To put that into some perspective, the 226 passes-per-game equates to Stoke's best ever rate during their Premier League days, which is not all that surprising when you take a look at some of the talented names in the squad. Ibrahim Afellay and Xherdan Shaqiri have joined Bojan Krkic in making the move to the Potteries, helping to not only improve City's profile but also potentially take them up another notch in the top flight.
Overall Stoke have picked up five wins and a draw from their last eight, following on from that shaky start to the campaign in which they failed to pick up a single win until seven games into the term. City's four-game unbeaten run in the league did come to an end last time out at Sunderland, though - a real disappointing defeat, albeit against a side experiencing something of a honeymoon period under their new head coach.
The Potters did also beat Chelsea here a few weeks back, also, but getting the better of the fallen champions is becoming less of an achievement as each game passes. It is now a case of keeping the points ticking over in the hope of potentially catching those sides above them in the top eight, with anything less than a top half finish being seen as a major disappointment these days in this part of the world.
DID YOU KNOW? Stoke may have kept five clean sheets in their last seven games, but no side has scored more goals that Man City in the Premier League this season. Even without talisman Sergio Aguero fit and firing, others have chipped in - including new boys Raheem Sterling and particularly Kevin de Bruyne - to find the net 30 times in all.
It's now time to point you in the direction of an exciting competition we are running here on Sports Mole in association with Man City's official betting partner Betsafe. Tickets for the upcoming Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach are up for grabs, so to be in with a chance of winning those check out more right here.
Stoke may be looking to close in on the top half, but opponents Man City have a different target entirely - winning the Premier League title. It has been a strange season in many ways for all the sides at the top, with Chelsea's dire start to the campaign, combined with others regularly slipping up, seeing the most open title race in many a year.
Just four points stand between Man City at the top and Arsenal in fourth, so while the Citizens may move three points clear ahead of the 3pm games this afternoon, they could be left holding onto a place in the Champions League positions should things go against them. It really is that tight, with no side able to yet truly build up a head of steam at the summit.
City themselves have actually endured some mix form of late, but you wouldn't know it by taking a lack at their overall prospects heading into the new year. Like Stoke, there is a League Cup semi-final to look forward to - though that does not quite carry the same pedigree as it once did around the Etihad. Success these days is judged on the Premier League and Champions League alone and, in that context, things are currently looking good.
I've already touched on the Citizens' impressive scoring record and defensive record, which has very much kept them in contention on all fronts so far. A place at the top of the Premier League heading into the festive programme, as well as Champions League football being secured post-Christmas, has helped cull the press reports linking Pep Guardiola with the job - for now, at least.
PREVIOUS MEETINGS! Stoke have won two of their 14 Premier League meetings with Man City, with only one in the last 12. At the Britannia Stadium it is just one defeat in the seven meetings here, but that did come in last season's clash. Five of those matches have ended in stalemates, in fact, so we can almost certainly expect a cagey affair this afternoon.
Stoke have only managed to score seven goals in their past 14 top-flight meetings with today's opponents, which may explain why Hughes has changed things around slightly up top. No Walters this afternoon, of course, with Afellay instead being brought into an attacking role. How will Man City's makeshift centre-back duo stand up to the test, I wonder?
With kickoff just five minutes or so away now, let's check out the pre-match views from both camps heading into this early game:
Mark Hughes: "They are a good side and we know that at some point during the game they will try and impose their quality on us. If we allow them to do that then they will cause us problems, we know that. It is about us being really resolute and navigating that."
Manuel Pellegrini: "It's important to be aggressive from the start against Stoke from the first minute. Especially in the first 15-20 minutes, they want to make the difference so it's important to be good from the start."
As the two sets of players make their way out onto the field, let's see what the Sports Mole Sofa team had to say heading into this contest:
Here we go - matchday 15 is just moments from getting underway. This should be a fascinating battle, as an improved Stoke side take on the league leaders on home soil. Plenty of draws here down the years, which will not suit the Citizens whatsoever this afternoon.
KICKOFF! We are up and running at the Britannia Stadium! Man City, sporting their dark blue kit this afternoon, get the contest underway.
"England's number one" is the repeated early chant around the ground. That is in reference to home keeper Jack Butland, of course, who is in direct competition with Three Lions rival Joe Hart this afternoon for the first time. Nothing for either keeper to deal with thus far.
Pieters and Arnautovic look to mount a break down the left, but Sagna gets across well to earn his side a free kick. Promising enough start made by the hosts, without truly troubling their opponents in these opening five minutes.
GOAL! STOKE CITY 1-0 MANCHESTER CITY (MARKO ARNAUTOVIC)
No Jon Walters this afternoon, but Arnautovic pops up just a few yards out to fire home with what was a typical Walters finish. Shaqiri made the breakthrough happen, using his tricky footwork down the right and getting a cross into the box for his teammate to prod home. Great start for the hosts!
The strong winds are playing a big part in this match already, helping the ball on its way or preventing punts forward from reaching the box, depending on what way you are attacking. The visitors desperately seeking a quick response, but they are being kept well at bay by their opponents.
The Citizens have enjoyed plenty of the ball since going behind, without doing a great deal with it in attacking areas. It's worth nothing that the last time De Bruyne, Sterling and Silva started a game together, City conceded first but went on to win 6-1 against Newcastle United.
GOAL! STOKE CITY 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY (MARKO ARNAUTOVIC)
I tell you what - you'll struggle to find a better team goal than this all weekend. Shaqiri was again at the heart of the move, producing a superb through-ball for Arnautovic to latch on to and side-foot past a helpless Hart. Moments before that De Bruyne saw his shot kept out by Butland up the other end - what a huge save that proved to be!
Stoke supporters are certainly up for this match, creating one of those famous atmospheres to inspire their side to this shock two-goal advantage. Shaqiri has been superb so far, producing two on-the-plate assists for Arnautovic to profit from. Take nothing away from the Austrian, though, because he still had to finish both moves.
So two chances created by Stoke and two goals scored - efficiency at its finest. Man City have created just the one opening so far, with De Bruyne seeing his side-footed attempt kept out well by Butland moments before Stoke bagged their second.
There's a mirror image feel to the game at the moment as, much like after conceding the first goal, Man City take control of possession but keep finding themselves caught out by Stoke up the other end. The Citizens badly missing Kompany once again.
Arnautovic walking along rather gingerly at the moment, which is probably down to the amount of running that he has had to do so far. Former Citizens boss Mark Hughes will be delighted by the way this one is panning out.
Struggling to remember Bony having a meaningful touch of the ball so far - all very frustrating for the Ivorian forward. No side has scored more goals than Man City's 30 this season, but Stoke have five clean sheets in their last seven outings.
Marko Arnautovic is already on a hat-trick, having scored twice - both via Xherdan Shaqiri assists - inside the opening 15 minutes of this contest.
For all their attacking talents, even without the injured Sergio Aguero, Man City have still only mustered one chance so far today. In fairness to the Citizens, they are missing the spine of their side with Vincent Kompany and Yaya Toure joining Aguero on the sidelines.
Bojan's smart play down the left earns Stoke a corner. It actually leads to the visitors' most promising attack, though, as De Bruyne sprints 100 yards with the ball and picks out a teammate on the edge of the box. Silva let it run through to Bony, but Stoke cleared their lines well.
Arnautovic gets in behind the Man City backline, but instead of firing across Hart from the tight angle he opts to pick out Bojan, only for Fernando to cut out the move. Far too easy for Stoke yet again, who perhaps should have tested Hart from that position.
A stoppage in play now due to a clash of heads. Arnautovic is giving his manager a real worry due to the knock that he has seemingly picked up, but he is willing to play off adrenaline at the moment.
Sagna's cross takes a minor deflection into the side-netting, allowing Man City to get bodies forward to attack the corner. De Bruyne's out-swinging cross goes right through the box to sum up the Citizens' troubles quite well.
CLOSE! Bojan uses the Man City corner to spring a break, keeping hold of the ball for a lifetime before eventually being dispossessed. Stoke come forward yet again, this time through Pieters down the left who picks out Arnautovic with a fine cross, only for the man of the moment to head just inches wide.
Man City get in a good position, with Bony dummying the ball for Sagna to race on to. The Frenchman's return pass was extremely weak, however, and yet again the move broke down before the visitors could create anything of note. Just a De Bruyne shot to show for their attacking exploits this half - not good enough.
SAVE! A promising sign for Man City supporters, as they put together arguably their best attacking move of the half to test Butland for just a second time. Kolarov looked to pick out the bottom left corner of the net, only for the Stoke stopper to stick out a leg to keep the ball out.
OFF THE POST! Just how big will this moment prove to be? Yet again, for the third time in this first half, Stoke completely carve their opponents open and Arnautovic has a clear run through on goal. The Austrian probably had too much time, in fact, and could only hit the post when up against Joe Hart.
Man City will take half time right now, because they look so incredibly fragile at the back. Two minutes of added time left to play at the Britannia Stadium.
Pieters looked to bend a ball through for Arnautovic, but Hart was quick out to collect. Stoke oozing confidence all over the pitch now, which is hardly surprising really.
HALF TIME: STOKE CITY 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY
A pretty incredible half of football comes to a conclusion at the Britannia Stadium. It is Stoke City who hold a healthy advantage at the break, leading by two Marko Arnautovic goals to nil against league leaders Manchester City.
It took just seven minutes for Arnautovic to bag his first, profiting from Xherdan Shaqiri's smart play down the right which culminated in an on-the-spot cross. The Austrian connected well with his strike from close range to open the scoring, before racing on to a Shaqiri through-ball eight minutes later to make it two.
Man City's best moment of the half came just moments before that second - and potentially decisive - Arnautovic strike. De Bruyne created a yard of space inside the box and got in a side-footed effort for Butland to turn aside. It actually took until six minutes before the interval before their next shot arrived, as Kolarov tried to get the better of Butland down low.
Yet in truth it should probably be 3-0 at the break and game over for good. Arnautovic, enjoying his finest ever Stoke performance, nodded wide from close range before bursting clean through on goal at the very end of the first half. The Austrian, on a first-half hat-trick, appeared to have too much time in the end and could only pick out the post when left one-on-one with Hart.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes took the surprise decision to leave Jonathan Walters out of his side for this lunchtime kickoff, but that gamble has well and truly paid off. The Welshman will almost certainly keep things the same for the second half, unless the knock picked up by two-goal Arnautovic is anything serious.
STOKE CITY SUBS: Haugaard, Joselu, Wilson, Van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Walters
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS: Caballero, Navas, Kelechi, Delph, Garcia, Clichy, Humphreys
Stoke City players celebrate their second strike of the match, which provided a strong contender for goal of the weekend in terms of the intricate play involved.
KICKOFF! We are back underway at the Britannia Stadium. Manuel Pellegrini would no doubt have had more than a few words to say to his side at the break, but they remain unchanged for this second half.
Whelan is completely flattened by Bony which leads to a short stoppage in play. The visitors look to find some momentum when play does eventually resume, but a through-ball had too much on it and Butland was there to collect.
Kolarov's cross into the box was aimed straight at Butland who, after initially spilling his catch, was quick on the loose ball. A very good first half for the Englishman, who made two big stops.
YELLOW CARD! Otamendi is left frustrated by Shaqiri's quick play, kicking out at his opponent and seeing the game's first yellow as a result. Man City wanted a penalty for handball up the other end, but Martin Atkinson was having none of it.
SAVE! Another potentially huge moment in this Premier League match. Bojan weaved his way through Man City's backline with ease, before seeing his shot well kept out by Hart down low. Arnautovic was right on the rebound, only to fire the ball into the side-netting.
The visitors enjoying a prolonged spell on the ball after almost falling three goals behind, but Butland is remaining well protected. It appears as though Manuel Pellegrini is going to make a couple of changes prior to the hour mark.
MANCHESTER CITY SUBS! The ineffective duo of Fernandinho and Bony go off, with Delph and Iheanacho on in their place. Could that provide a much needed spark for the visitors?
A decent introduction to the game made by Delph, who has provided some added bite. No Toure this afternoon, of course, so City just need someone to get on the ball and carry it into advanced areas.
Just the one real piece of action in front of goal so far this half, which came via Bojan a little under 10 minutes ago. Stoke scoring a third seems to be more likely than their opponents pulling one back at the moment.
MANCHESTER CITY SUB! Manuel Pellegrini makes his final change of the afternoon, with 25 minutes still left on the clock. Jesus Navas will look to provide some width in place of the tiring David Silva.
SHOT! Shaqiri takes on a shot from range, looking more towards precision than pace with his deft attempt. In the end it was simple enough for Hart to collect right down the middle.
Arsenal, Manchester United and Leicester City supporters will all be watching events here closely ahead of their respective side's 3pm kickoffs. The incentive is certainly there for all three to close the gap - and even overtake - the Citizens this afternoon.
Much more controlled possession from the Citizens now, yet they still can't get through the compact Stoke backline. It's evenly matched on the whole in terms of the way this second half has gone, but the Potters boast the all-important two-goal lead.
CHANCE! If Stoke fail to take all three points from this one, the inquest will rumble on for days. Yet again a clear-cut chance goes begging, with the otherwise brilliant Shaqiri this time at fault. Unlike with the first two goals, Arnautovic this time squares for Shaqiri who had the simple task of tapping home from four yards out. The Swiss just failed to make any contact with the pass, though, somehow missing what was an absolute sitter.
STOKE SUB! Shaqiri with his umpteenth through-ball of the afternoon, which just trickles through to Hart before Bojan could get a meaningful tough to the ball. The Spaniard has now left the field, with Joselu on in his place for the final quarter of this match.
No sign of this quirk changing, as we enter the final 15 minutes of what has been an entertaining contest at the Britannia Stadium.
A bad day has just got even worse for Man City. They are down to 10 men for the remainder of this match, due to Fernandinho heading straight down the tunnel with a hamstring problem. All three subs were made around the hour mark, so they are left chasing a goal one man light.
STOKE CITY SUB! Kolarov blasts his attempt into the side-netting from a tight angle, which sparks Stoke boss Mark Hughes into action. Shaqiri leaves the field of play, with Van Ginkel on in his place. A smart sub, that.
Been a little scrappy over the past few minutes which will suit Stoke just fine. They could - and probably should - have scored three today, but settling for just the two will not upset Mark Hughes too much. A fantastic result for his side, with just 10 minutes left to see through.
Stoke into the top half of the table as things stand, then, which is exactly where they would expect to be at this stage of the campaign. A League Cup semi-final to look forward to in the new year, too, so things are certainly looking up after that shaky start to the campaign.
SHOT! A corner is cleared only as far as Delph, who takes on the shot around 30 yards out. It was a weak attempt in the end, right down the middle for Butland to collect. I make that Man City's fourth shot on goal all game.
STOKE CITY SUB! The final alteration of the afternoon sees Walters introduced for the remaining five minutes. Afellay is the man to leave the pitch, meaning that all three of Stoke's true flair players have now departed.
Shaqiri has just been awarded the sponsors' Man of the Match award, which I would go along with. Superb performance from the summer signing, particularly in the first half. Arnautovic bagged two goals, but his teammate did most of the hard work.
Sterling with a wild effort which earns plenty of sarcastic cheers from home supporters. It's been six matches since he last found the net - not ideal for a man who brought so much baggage with him upon his move from Liverpool.
Stoke just knocking the ball around now to see the game through, while their top-of-the-table opponents are resigned to defeat. One minute of added time left to play in the Potteries.
FULL TIME: STOKE CITY 2-0 MANCHESTER CITY
The full-time whistle sounds at the Britannia Stadium, meaning another twist at the top of the Premier League table. Marko Arnautovic's two first-half goals proved the difference in the end, as the visitors struggled to truly create any chances after falling behind.
Man City must now watch on as those teams around them face off over the coming hours, knowing that they could potentially slip down to third place come 5pm this evening. A bad day for the Citizens was made even worse when Fernandinho limped off 15 minutes from time, after his side had already made all three alterations.
That concludes Sports Mole's coverage of events at the Britannia Stadium, but we have a full selection of live commentaries from each of the 3pm kickoffs in the Premier League. Take your pick by clicking right here.
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Premier League Table
| Team | P | W | D | L | F | A | GD | PTS | |
| 1 | Liverpool | 11 | 9 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
| 2 | Manchester CityMan City | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 22 | 13 | 9 | 23 |
| 3 | Chelsea | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 21 | 13 | 8 | 19 |
| 4 | Arsenal | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 19 |
| 5 | Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 15 | 10 | 5 | 19 |
| 6 | Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton | 11 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 19 | 15 | 4 | 19 |
| 7 | Fulham | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 13 | 3 | 18 |
| 8 | Newcastle UnitedNewcastle | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 13 | 11 | 2 | 18 |
| 9 | Aston Villa | 11 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 17 | 17 | 0 | 18 |
| 10 | Tottenham HotspurSpurs | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 23 | 13 | 10 | 16 |
| 11 | Brentford | 11 | 5 | 1 | 5 | 22 | 22 | 0 | 16 |
| 12 | Bournemouth | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 15 | 15 | 0 | 15 |
| 13 | Manchester UnitedMan Utd | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 12 | 12 | 0 | 15 |
| 14 | West Ham UnitedWest Ham | 11 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 13 | 19 | -6 | 12 |
| 15 | Leicester CityLeicester | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 21 | -7 | 10 |
| 16 | Everton | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 10 | 17 | -7 | 10 |
| 17 | Ipswich TownIpswich | 11 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 12 | 22 | -10 | 8 |
| 18 | Crystal Palace | 11 | 1 | 4 | 6 | 8 | 15 | -7 | 7 |
| 19 | Wolverhampton WanderersWolves | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 | 16 | 27 | -11 | 6 |
| 20 | Southampton | 11 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 7 | 21 | -14 | 4 |
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