Stoke City earned a spot in the semi-finals of the League Cup by beating Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 at the Britannia Stadium.
The Potters dominated possession for long spells of the first half, before taking the lead when Ibrahim Afellay volleyed home from Joselu's cross.
Sheffield Wednesday struggled to produce a response to the setback, and the win was secured when Phil Bardsley powered in a free kick off the post.
Read below to find out how the action unfolded.
Good evening everyone! It's quarter-final time in the League Cup, and I'll be bringing you live text commentary of Stoke City's meeting with Sheffield Wednesday at the Britannia Stadium. Wednesday have already beaten Newcastle United and Arsenal. Can they cause another upset?
How did we get here? Stoke started their campaign with a penalty shootout triumph over Luton Town, before beating Fulham. Another shootout was required in the last round, but the Potters did enough to knock out Chelsea in a dramatic tie.
Sheffield Wednesday claimed victories over Mansfield Town and Oxford United, before staging a couple of upsets against Newcastle and Arsenal. It was a performance to remember in the last round as the Owls cruised to a 3-0 win over the Gunners. Carlos Carvahlal will be desperate for a repeat.
STOKE: Butland; Johnson, Wilson, Wollscheid, Pieters; Cameron, van Ginkel; Walters, Afellay, Arnautovic; Crouch
SUBS: Haugaard, Bardsley, Whelan, Joselu, Adam, Shaqiri, Bojan
SUBS: Haugaard, Bardsley, Whelan, Joselu, Adam, Shaqiri, Bojan
Peter Crouch makes just his third start of the season as he comes into the side for Bojan in attack, while Ryan Shawcross misses out after picking up a red card in the defeat to Sunderland at the weekend. Charlie Adam and Xherdan Shaqiri are named on the bench as Marco van Ginkel and Ibrahim Afellay both get starts.
SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY: Wildsmith; Hunt, Lees, Loovens, Wiggins; Wallace, Lee, Hutchinson, Sougou; Hooper, Joao
SUBS: Price, Semedo, Nuhiu, McGugan, Helan, Lopez, Pudil
SUBS: Price, Semedo, Nuhiu, McGugan, Helan, Lopez, Pudil
Seven changes for Carvalhal's side tonight, with Lucas Joao among those to earn a recall after he came off the bench to score an equaliser against Blackburn on Saturday. Gary Hooper joins him in attack, while Ross Wallace starts in midfield.
HEAD TO HEAD: Stoke have not beaten the Owls in any of the last four meetings between the two sides, and Wednesday have won on their last two trips to the Britannia Stadium.
Prior to this game, Hughes was eager to insist that his side would not take tonight's challenge lightly as they bid to reach the last four of the competition.
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"We won't underestimate Sheffield Wednesday in any way, shape or form. If you look at their progression in the competition they have beaten two Premier League sides already," he told reporters.
PREDICTION: Much like the previous rounds, I think Sheffield Wednesday will be a tough test for Premier League opposition. However, Stoke should have enough to progress if they make a solid start this evening. The likes of Arnautovic and Walters hold the key. I'm going for a 3-1 home win.
Here we go then. The players are out on the pitch at the Britannia Stadium. Kickoff is just a few moments away.
KICKOFF! It's the visitors who get this quarter-final underway. They look to quickly get the ball forward. An early goal would be huge for the Championship side.
Crouch does well to win his side a corner, but the Owls survive when Lees eventually manages to clear the danger.
Stoke are in control early on. Cameron does well to find Pieters on the wing, but his cross is cleared by Hunt as we continue to wait for the first opportunity of the night.
Van Ginkel wins a free kick for his side in a promising position, but Arnautovic's delivery is poor as the visitors clear once again. Hughes will be happy with this start.
Frustration for Walters as the flag correctly goes up after he had strayed too early while attempting to collect a clever pass from Afellay.
Stoke just lacking a bit of quality in the final third at the moment, but they are controlling the tempo of this game in midfield. Van Ginkel is impressing in the early stages.
SUB: Crouch is forced off after going down holding his hamstring. Joselu is his replacement. You've got to feel for Crouch, who has not had many chances to impress this season.
CHANCE! Good play from Joselu as he holds the ball up before finding Johnson, who sends a through ball to Walters. The Irish forward can only shoot straight at Wildsmith from a tight angle.
Patient football on display from Stoke as they move the ball around on the edge of the box, before Lees is forced to make a block from Afellay's powerful strike.
Stoke are nearly caught out on the break when Arnautovic gives the ball away in midfield. Lee leads the counter for the visitors, but neither Joao or Hooper can make contact with his cross in the box.
Superb defending from Pieters as he refuses to jump in on Lee, before timing his challenge to perfection to win possession for the hosts. The Stoke full-back has been fantastic all season.
Appeals for a penalty arrive from the home supporters when a Pieters cross is blocked, but the referee is not interested. It certainly wasn't a penalty.
Joselu has done well since coming on and he wins a free kick for his side on the edge of the box. Arnautovic takes on the responsibility, but he is unable to stop his effort from sailing over the crossbar.
GOAL! STOKE 1-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (AFELLAY)
Just moments after Wildsmith produces a good save to keep out Van Ginkel's long-range strike, Stoke break the deadlock. Joselu is involved once again as he drifts out wide before delivering an inviting cross for Afellay, who controls his volley well to leave Wildsmith helpless. That's his first goal for the club.
Plenty of concern for Carvalhal as he watches Lees go down in the middle of the pitch. The visitors will certainly not want to lose him at this stage.
Stoke are really piling on the pressure now. Cameron sees his cross cleared from the box, before Wildsmith is forced to collect a low delivery when Joselu drifts out wide once again.
Lees is still off the pitch and the Owls are struggling to hold off Stoke with 10 men on the pitch. Loovens is forced to head away when Arnautovic attempts to find Joselu with a cross.
CLOSE! Great work from Pieters out wide as he creates space before delivering a brilliant cross. Walters slides in, but he's inches away from making contact with the ball.
SUB: Daniel Pudil is sent on as the Owls finally introduce a replacement for Lees in defence.
Wilson and Wollscheid have rarely been troubled in the first half and the former easily takes the ball away from Joao when the visitors adopt a more direct approach. Will Carvalhal be thinking about a change at the break?
Pudil, who has perhaps not yet adjusted to the pace of the game, almost gets his side into trouble with a weak pass to Wildsmith. Luckily for him, the goalkeeper is off his line quickly to beat Joselu to the ball.
The fourth official confirms that there will be four minutes added on after the two stoppages due to injuries.
Wallace gives me a chance to mention Jack Butland for the first time this evening as the midfielder wastes a free kick by sending a cross straight into the arms of the England international.
HALF TIME: STOKE 1-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
Stoke reach the break in control of this quarter-final tie thanks to Afellay's volley. The Potters may only lead by one goal, but they have dominated from the first whistle and Sheffield Wednesday have rarely caused problems for the home defence.
UPDATE: Three of the four League Cup quarter-finals are taking place tonight and the Premier League sides are certainly in charge. Wilfried Bony's early goal has given Manchester City a 1-0 lead over Hull City at the Etihad Stadium. Elsewhere, Gerard Deulofeu and Romelu Lukaku have both scored to hand Everton a comfortable 2-0 lead away to Middlesbrough.
Carvalhal may be thinking about a change at the break. His side are struggling to hurt Stoke, with Joao and Hooper being kept away from the ball for long spells. Lewis McGugan would add creativity, while Atde Nuhiu could be brought on in an attempt to hold the ball up further up the pitch.
RESTART! Stoke get the game back underway. Two changes at the break. Stoke have replaced Johnson with Phil Bardsley, while McGugan comes on for Hunt for the visitors.
There's concern for Arnautovic when he goes down holding his groin, but he returns to the pitch after some treatment.
CHANCE! Poor marking from the visitors as Joselu finds the space to meet a corner, but his header is weak and Wildsmith collects.
The Owls just have not been good enough in possession this evening. They settle for another long ball forward, but Joao is left frustrated once again.
Today's attendance: 26, 779. Highest home domestic cup attendance since 2002 #SCFC 1-0 #SWFC
— Stoke City FC (@stokecity) December 1, 2015
Sougou picks up the first booking of the night for a late tackle on Arnautovic. Moments later, Hooper watches a deflected volley drift just over the crossbar.
Sheffield Wednesday enjoyed a good spell for a few minutes, but Stoke are in charge once again as they continue to control the midfield battle. Hughes will not be comfortable until his side score a second.
SAVE! So close to a second goal for Stoke! Joselu does brilliantly to bring down a high ball before turning into space to unleash an effort which Wildsmith keeps out with an outstretched leg. The loose ball breaks to Afellay, who is denied by Sougou's vital block.
YELLOW CARD! Afellay picks up a booking for preventing the Owls from taking a quick free kick.
Excellent defending from Loovens! Arnautovic breaks free of the last defender with a good run off the ball, but he hesitates and Loovens gets back to make the tackle.
Stoke invite pressure from the visitors by twice giving the ball away in dangerous positions. Sheffield Wednesday are asking a few more questions, but their final ball has not been good enough.
CLOSE! The visitors come very close to equalising through Pudil, who sends a half volley over on the stretch after meeting a corner.
It's Sheffield Wednesday who are seeing more of the ball. As a result, Stoke are dropping deeper but Wilson and Wollscheid continue to look comfortable.
Sougou lands awkwardly after challenging Pieters for header, but he should be fine to stay on. Butland has been a spectator for most of the night. Can the Owls deliver some late drama?
Van Ginkel initially does very well to create space for himself on the edge of the box, but his cross is cut out before the ball can reach Joselu.
GOAL! STOKE 2-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY (BARDSLEY)
Game over! Stoke win a free kick 25 yards from goal and Van Ginkel decides to shift it to Bardsley, who unleashes a powerful strike which goes in off the post. Superb effort from the full-back. Stoke are going through.
SUB! Loovens is feeling his hamstring as he comes off to be replaced by Nuhiu.
Sheffield Wednesday are seeing a lot of the ball now, but Stoke continue to look very comfortable at the back. It's been a very good defensive display from the Premier League side.
It just doesn't appear to be clicking for the away side in attack. A long spell on top ends with another cross being cleared by the Stoke defence.
SUB! McGugan fancies his chances from around 25 yards, but his strike takes a deflection on the way through to Butland. Stoke make a change as Arnautovic comes off to be replaced by Glenn Whelan.
The fourth official confirms that there will be four minutes added on.
Great goalkeeping from Butland as he comes off his line to collect a free kick from McGugan.
FULL TIME: STOKE CITY 2-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY
It's all over at the Britannia Stadium. Stoke were on top for much of the night and they certainly deserve the win which takes them through to the semi-finals of the League Cup. That's all from our live coverage, but make sure you keep an eye out for reaction tonight.
