Stoke City and Aston Villa met at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon both knowing that victory could see them move into the top half of the Premier League table.
In a goalless and rather uneventful first period, Potters defender Marc Wilson was lucky to escape a sending off after hacking down Andreas Weimann as the Villa forward advanced into the penalty area.
Charlie Adam's half-time introduction changed the game, with the Scottish midfielder giving the hosts a 51st-minute advantage by latching onto Peter Crouch's knockdown and tucking a shot under Brad Guzan.
Libor Kozak capitalised on an Erik Pieters error to equalise for the visitors, but Crouch restored Stoke's lead three minutes later to secure his side maximum points and inflict a third straight loss on Villa.
Below, you can read how the action unfolded in Staffordshire.
Afternoon, all! This week has been all about managerial comings and goings in the Premier League, but two clubs who have managed to escape the drama for now are Stoke City and Aston Villa.
They meet at the Britannia Stadium in one of six 3.00pm Premier League kickoffs being brought to you live by Sports Mole. Let's get straight to the team news, starting with the hosts...
STOKE: Begovic; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Walters, Nzonzi, Arnautovic, Whelan, Assaidi; Crouch
SUBS: Sorensen, Muniesa, Pennant, Palacios, Jones, Adam, Wilkinson
VILLA: Guzan; Lowton, Herd, Baker, Clark; Albrighton, Westwood, Delph, Tonev, Weimann; Kozak
SUBS: Steer, Bacuna, El Ahmadi, Helenius, Luna, Bowery, Sylla
Two headline omissions from the Villa squad. Christian Benteke is not included in the travelling party, presumably due to injury, while Gabriel Agbonlahor misses out through suspension.
Libor Kozak leads the line in the absence of the misfiring Benteke, whose 10-game Premier League goal drought has coincided with Villa failing to find the net in seven of those 10 matches.
Andreas Weimann has been in and out of the side of late due to several knocks, but is fit to start today and will be the most advanced of three central midfielders, lending support to Kozak.
Mark Albrighton continues on the right wing after returning from a loan spell at Wigan Athletic, while Bulgarian international Aleksander Tonev is recalled to start on the opposite flank.
In the middle of the park, Karim El Ahmadi and Yacouba Sylla drop to the bench to make way for Weimann and Fabian Delph, who excelled at the start of the season before a few injury setbacks.
Matthew Lowton is again preferred to Leandro Bacuna at right-back, in a defence which is still without sidelined skipper Ron Vlaar. Utility man Chris Herd deputises for the Dutchman once more.
Unlike Villa, Stoke do have their captain fit, with centre-back Ryan Shawcross passing a late fitness test. He is without his regular partner, though, with Robert Huth recovering from knee surgery.
Marc Wilson again slots in alongside Shawcross, while Erik Pieters is retained at left-back after being recalled at the expense of Marc Muniesa for Wednesday's League Cup loss to Manchester United.
Stephen Ireland is ineligible to face his parent club as part of the agreement that took him from Villa to Stoke on loan, so Marko Arnautovic is restored to play in the hole behind Peter Crouch.
There are two more changes from Mark Hughes to the side that went down at home 3-0 to United in midweek, with number one Asmir Begovic back inbetween the sticks in place of Thomas Sorensen.
Steven N'Zonzi, who has started every Premier League game for the Potters this season, is another regular recalled, and he replaces Honduran international Wilson Palacios in the centre of midfield.
HEAD TO HEAD: Villa are unbeaten in their last five top-flight matches against Stoke, but four of those meetings have been drawn. There have been three 0-0 stalemates since the Staffordshire outfit were first promoted to the Premier League back in 2008. That doesn't bode well for today's entertainment!
Draws haven't just been common in this meeting for Stoke, though, who have shared the spoils in half of their home Premier League games this term. The Britannia isn't quite seen as the fortress that it was under Tony Pulis, but Villa boss Lambert insists that it's still a difficult place to visit.
He told reporters this week: "I don't think it'll be any different from what it was up there last year.
"Mark took over from a really successful manager in Tony and he's added one or two of his own type. But no matter what type of football Stoke are playing, it's a tough place to go."
Around 10 minutes until kickoff in the Potteries now...
ONE TO WATCH: Peter Crouch isn't enjoying his most prolific season, but is playing against one of his many former clubs this afternoon and that can often mean goals. I expect that he will attach himself to Chris Herd today and attempt to use his height advantage to provide others with chances and cause havoc at the back post.
PREDICTION: I can't see there being many goals in this one, with Villa struggling in front of goal as Stoke were earlier in the season. I fancy the Potters to make home advantage count and win this 1-0.
We are underway at the Britannia Stadium...
Cameron makes a sharp burst inside off the right and skips past a couple of Villa tackles before finding the feet of Arnautovic, whose ball around the corner is too far ahead of Crouch.
Arnautovic crosses towards the near post, where Walters stoops to meet it, but Herd stretches out a foot to clear and Villa then attempt to launch a break through Weimann on the left.
Delph has plenty of space in the middle of the park and tries to release Tonev down the left wing. The pass was on but the former Leeds man overhit it and his teammate couldn't chase it down.
SAVE! Villa take a corner short and Weimann creates an angle to cross towards the near post, where Baker guides the ball toward goal, only for Begovic to catch his effort at the second time of asking.
Great play by Albrighton, who runs at Pieters and knocks it past him before fizzing in a low cross which Kozak just failed to make contact with under pressure from Begovic and Shawcross.
CHANCE! Villa break as Westwood finds Weimann in the hole. His weak pass to Albrighton takes some pace out of the move, but the ball is laid back for Lowton to deliver. Cameron's clearance is poor and falls to Tonev, who cannot generate much power on a difficult volley which is straight at Begovic.
A promising opening from the visitors, who have already forced Begovic into some decent saves and work off his line, but again Villa's recent struggles in front of goal have continued thus far.
Crouch controls a chipped pass forward and then spreads the play to Assaidi. The former England man continues his run into the box, loses his marker, but Assaidi cannot pick him out.
BOOKING: Moments after being barged into the advertising hoardings by Wilson, Albrighton takes some retribution on Pieters and is punished with a caution for catching the Dutchman with a high foot.
Assaidi again gets himself into a good position on the left. This time he has more than one body to aim for in the box, but Baker heads clear with Crouch preparing to steer goalwards at the far stick.
BOOKING: Wilson is shown a yellow card, but he is probably lucky that it isn't red! Cameron plays his side into trouble with a risky pass across his area which Pieters miscontrols. Weimann nicks the ball from him, and is then hacked down by Wilson on his way into the area. The Ireland international is the last man, but referee Craig Pawson takes his time before deciding to punish him with only a caution.
From the resulting free kick, Weimann tries to bend one over the wall, which does its job as it deflects the Austrian's curling shot behind for a corner, which is then comfortably dealt with.
The quality of this game has suffered hugely in the last 10 minutes from a couple of incidents which have frustrated players and resulted in some strong tackles. It's currently a real midfield battle.
Cameron isn't a happy chappy. He feels that Kozak shoved an elbow in his direction while they were tussling in the box. Referee Pawson listens to his protests but Kozak escapes with just a warning.
CLOSE! The best move of the match comes from Stoke, who exchange four or five one-touch passes, and the ball is eventually spread to Cameron. The American doesn't get enough bend on his first-time cross, but that's what causes Villa problems as it travels towards Guzan's goal, and the visiting keeper shows good awareness and reactions to backpedal and tip the ball over the crossbar.
Cameron stays forward for the resultant corner and climbs highest at the back post, heading Assaidi's delivery towards goal, but this time he cannot test his American compatriot Guzan.
SHOTS! Hopeful efforts at either end, with Albrighton dragging a shot wide after cutting in off the left, and Crouch volleying some distance over after chesting down a goal kick 30 yards out.
BLOCKS! Clever footwork from Assaidi, who nutmegs Lowton to get free of his two markers and then cross for Crouch. The Stoke forward is poised to guide the ball towards the bottom corner when Clark dives in to beat him to it, and when the loose ball falls beautifully to Arnautovic 12 yards out, Baker backs up his colleague's good work by throwing himself in front of the Austrian's shot to make a heroic block.
We are entering first-half stoppage time, of which there will be ONE minute...
Delph fizzes in a pass to the feet of Kozak, whose flick around the corner is chased down by Weimann. Stoke's defenders leave it to Begovic, who is quick enough off his line to reach the ball first.
HALF-TIME: STOKE 0-0 VILLA
Two sides that have had problems finding the net all season are deadlocked at the break at the Britannia Stadium, with Stoke and Villa playing out a largely poor-quality 45 minutes.
Villa, who have failed to net in seven of their last 10 Premier League games, may feel that they were denied a clear goalscoring opportunity when Andreas Weimann was tripped by Marc Wilson.
The Villa winger had pinched the ball from Erik Pieters and knocked the ball into the are when Wilson hacked him down. The Irish defender looked sheepish, as if he was expecting red but referee Craig Pawson, erred on the side of caution by just showing him a yellow card. Villa boss Paul Lambert may point to that incident at the final whistle if things don't go his side's way after the break.
STATS: Villa have called Asmir Begovic into action twice, while Stoke are yet to have a shot on target, although they did force great blocks out of both Ciaran Clark and Nathan Baker in the half's latter stages. The Potters have enjoyed 56% possession against a Villa side setup to counter attack.
KICKOFF: The action has resumed, and I have news of a half-time Stoke change for you, with Marko Arnauotivc replaced by Charlie Adam, who will hope to bring more creativity to proceedings.
BENCH WATCH: Stoke have already made their move, but what alterations could Paul Lambert make to change things in this second period? He has Danish striker Nicklas Helenius in reserve, but no Benteke of course. Jordan Bowery and Karim El Ahmadi are other options available to the Scot.
BOOKING: Clark becomes the third man, second in Claret and Blue, to be cautioned this afternoon and rightly so, for a late lunge on Walters where he caught the Stoke man's foot with his studs.
GOAL! STOKE 1-0 VILLA (CHARLIE ADAM)
Adam has an immediate impact by giving Stoke the lead six minutes after his half-time introduction! From the free kick that followed Clark's foul on Walters, the hosts knock the ball forward to Crouch, who has the beating of Herd all day long and wins the flick on. Adam makes a run from deep to latch onto the ball, and then rolls Baker before tucking the ball under Guzan into the bottom corner.
BOOKING: Lowton follows teammates Clark and Albrighton into the referee's notepad after cynically clipping the heels of Assaidi as Stoke's Liverpool loanee threatened to sprint away from him.
CHANCE! Begovic makes a real mess of coming to punch clear a Lowton punt forward, and his parry drops to Tonev on the edge of the box. The Bosnian goalkeeper is in no man's land, but Tonev has plenty of Stoke bodies between him and the home goal, and only Kozak in support. In the end, he does neither cross or shoot, drilling the ball across the area and several yards off target.
BOOKING: Villa continue to give away silly fouls, and Delph is reprimanded for a reckless scissor tackle on Crouch over on the right touchline. Players from both sides are pushing and shoving as they surround referee Pawson. This is getting a bit feisty, and Villa need to regain some control over their temperament here before they do something daft.
BOOKING: Delph is very lucky to still be on the pitch, as he scythes down Adam as the midfielder burst into the box. It's a definite foul, and referee Pawson blows his whistle, pulls out his yellow card, and shows it to Herd for his kicking the ball away in protest of what was clearly the right decision.
Adam shoots into the wall from the resulting free kick, and Villa then launch an attack of their own. Weimann is pulled down by Pieters on the right, and the Austrian picks himself up to deliver the set piece himself, but it is knocked behind for a goal kick at the near post.
GOAL! STOKE 1-1 VILLA (LIBOR KOZAK)
Villa are level, and it is an absolute gift for Libor Kozak! There was no threat, no danger as Wilson's clearing header from Guzan's goal kick came to Pieters, who tried to nod the ball into the gloves of his keeper Begovic, but Kozak is alert and he intercepts the backpass and sweeps home under the Bosnian to earn the visitors parity. A bad error of judgement from Pieters, but Kozak is rewarded for showing the instincts of a great striker.
GOAL! STOKE 2-1 VILLA (PETER CROUCH)
Villa were on level terms for just three minutes, with Crouch restoring Stoke's lead and he won't have scored many easier Premier League goals than this! Cameron's ball into a dangerous area bounces off a couple of Villa bodies and falls to the lanky forward six yards out. There is a suspicion of handball in Crouch's control, but to call it deliberate would be harsh, and the ex-England star thumps the ball into an empty net from close range.
OFF THE POST! Stoke earn a corner after Cameron's run and cross down the right is diverted behind. Adam delivers it deep and Whelan heads from 16 yards back into the danger area. Not all of the Villa defence charge out so Crouch is played onside, and he flicks, with the back of his heel, against the woodwork from six yards. Guzan had no chance if it was on target.
SAVE! Fantastic save from Begovic, as Villa again nearly prosper from a long ball. A knockdown falls at the feet of Kozak, who puts his foot through a powerful volley which is acrobatically tipped over the crossbar by Stoke's keeper. Kozak hit it well, but had he shot low, Begovic may not have got down.
SUBSTITUTION: News of a Villa change which happened in the immediate aftermath of Crouch's goal. Lambert has chucked on Bowery and sacrificed the fairly quiet and ineffectual Tonev.
Westwood slices a 25-yard shot way off target. The midfielder scored a similar effort in the 2-2 draw with West Bromwich Albion a few weeks back, but he got this one completely wrong.
SUBSTITUTION: Lambert plays his final card, introducing the versatile Leandro Bacuna in place of Mark Albrighton, one of Villa's brighter sparks. That will be a straight swap on the right wing.
BOOKING: Westwood becomes the fifth Villa man cautioned for leaving his foot in on N'Zonzi. Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant has been on for about 10 minutes for Stoke, with Assaidi substituted.
Villa are struggling to mount any real pressure on the Stoke back line. I wonder why Lambert didn't turn to Helenuis as an extra body up front as one of his three substitutions, as Kozak could do with the support. The Potters look comfortable, though, and perhaps even the more likely team to score.
The visitors are running out of time here, and seemingly running out of ideas too. Delph picks the ball up in the centre of the goal 25 yards out, and only pokes a hopeful ball into the box which Begovic comes off his line to claim under absolutely no pressure. FOUR minutes of added time.
Nearly a chance as Stoke's defenders allow the ball to bounce, and Weimann's flick around the corner is in the direction of Kozak, but the flag has already been raised for offside on the Austrian.
FULL-TIME: STOKE 2-1 VILLA
Stoke continue their impressive home form and inflict a third straight Premier League loss on Villa courtesy of goals from Charlie Adam and Peter Crouch. Paul Lambert may think that things could have been different if a couple of decisions from referee Craig Pawson went the visitors' way.
There were suspicions of handball in the buildup to Crouch's winning goal, and Potters defender Marc Wilson was perhaps lucky to escape with only a yellow card when he appeared to deny Andreas Weimann a goalscoring opportunity in the first half by hacking him down on the edge of the box.
The result moves Stoke, who have now lost just one of their last eight Premier League matches, into the top half of the table. Villa drop to 13th head into the busy festive period in poor form.
That's it from me. Thanks for joining Sports Mole this afternoon. Be sure to rejoin us for live coverage of tomorrow's Premier League fixtures, including Southampton vs. Spurs. Until next time...
