Mar 4, 2017 at 3pm UK at ​bet365 Stadium
Attendance: 27,644
StokeStoke City
2-0
Middlesbrough
Arnautovic (29', 42')
Shawcross (21')
FT(HT: 2-0)

Friend (45'), de Roon (78')

Team News: Glen Johnson, Geoff Cameron back for Stoke

Glen Johnson of Stoke City in action during the Barclays Premier League match between Stoke City and Liverpool at Britannia Stadium on August 9, 2015
© Getty Images
Glen Johnson and Geoff Cameron return as Stoke City welcome Middlesbrough.

Glen Johnson and Geoff Cameron have both returned as Stoke City welcome Middlesbrough to the bet365 Stadium this afternoon.

Manager Mark Hughes makes two changes from the side that suffered a heavy defeat at Tottenham Hotspur last time out, with a fit-again Cameron making his first start since October alongside Glenn Whelan at defensive midfield.

Johnson, meanwhile, comes into the back four alongside skipper Ryan Shawcross, Bruno Martins Indi and Erik Pieters as Phil Bardsley drops to the bench.

Peter Crouch continues to lead the line for the Potters with attacking support from Marko Arnautovic, Joe Allen and Ramadan Sobhi.

For the visitors, meanwhile, manager Aitor Karanka makes five changes as Boro look to avoid dropping into the relegation zone this afternoon.

Karanka picks an all-new front three in an expected 4-3-3 formation, with Adama Traore, Gaston Ramirez and Rudy Gestede leading the line and Adam Forshaw, Alvaro Negredo and Cristhian Stuani dropping to the bench.

George Friend returns to the back four after five games out with calf and knee problems, joining up with Ben Gibson, Daniel Ayala and Fabio as Bernardo Espinosa and Stewart Downing miss out.

The other change sees Grant Leadbitter return to the midfield alongside Marten de Roon and Gaston Ramirez.

Elsewhere, Antonio Barragan is named on the bench after missing the last four games with a hamstring injury.

Stoke City: Grant; Johnson, Shawcross, M. Indi, Pieters; Whelan, Cameron; Arnautovic, Allen, Ramadan; Crouch
Subs: Given; Bardsley, Berahino, Afellay, Adam, Diouf, Walters

Middlesbrough: Valdes; Fabio, Ayala, Gibson, Friend; De Roon, Clayton, Leadbitter; Traore, Ramirez, Gestede
Subs: Guzan, Bernardo, Barragan, Guedioura, Forshaw, Stuani, Negredo

Keep up with all of the action from the bet365 Stadium this afternoon with Sports Mole's live text commentary here.

Oxford manager Michael Appleton looks on during the Sky Bet League Two match between Cambridge United and Oxford United at The Abbey Stadium on October 11, 2014
Read Next:
Appleton unhappy with refereeing decisions
>



You May Like
Recomended from Sports Mole
Tables
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Chelsea27213357203766
2Tottenham HotspurSpurs27168353203356
3Manchester CityMan City27175553292456
4Liverpool27157558342452
5Arsenal26155655312450
6Manchester UnitedMan Utd261310339221749
7Everton27128744301444
8West Bromwich AlbionWest Brom2711793634240
9Stoke CityStoke2899103240-836
10Southampton2696113234-233
11West Ham UnitedWest Ham2796123646-1033
12Burnley2794143040-1031
13Watford2787123347-1431
14Bournemouth2776143752-1527
15Leicester CityLeicester2776143045-1527
16Swansea CitySwansea2783163559-2427
17Crystal Palace2774163546-1125
18Middlesbrough27410131930-1122
19Hull City2756162453-2921
20Sunderland2754182450-2619