Stoke City and Leicester City contested their first-ever Premier League meeting at the Britannia Stadium this afternoon.
The Potters, who beat Manchester City a fortnight ago, were dominant throughout the opening 45 minutes, but could not find a breakthrough with any of their 13 shots.
The half-time introduction of Esteban Cambiasso made a real difference for the Foxes and Leonardo Ulloa gave them a 67th-minute lead from close range with his third goal of the season.
Stoke regained control of the match as they pressed for an equaliser late on, but Leicester's debutant goalkeeper Ben Hamer made important saves from Victor Moses and Mame Biram Diouf late on as the newly-promoted side picked up their first win back in the top flight.
Below, you can read Sports Mole's text coverage to see how the action unfolded in the Potteries.
Afternoon, all! The Premier League is back after what seemed like a very long international break, and this is when the season really starts, with the transfer window shut for four months...
Leicester City's first top-flight trip to Stoke City in 30 years is one of six 3.00pm Premier League kickoffs being brought to you live by Sports Mole this afternoon. Team news on its way...
STOKE: Begovic; Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Whelan, Nzonzi; Moses, Bojan, Walters; Crouch
SUBS: Sorensen, Huth, Muniesa, Arnautovic, Adam, Diouf, Assaidi
LEICESTER: Hamer; De Laet, Morgan, Moore, Konchesky; Mahrez, Hammond, King, Schlupp; Ulloa, Nugent
SUBS: Smith, Drinkwater, Vardy, Cambiasso, Knockaert, Wasilewski, Wood
It seems that beating two men over a 70-yard run before going on to best England's number one to secure your side victory at the champions is not enough to earn you a start for Stoke, with Mame Biram Diouf dropped to the bench a fortnight after scoring the winner at Manchester City.
In fairness, the striker has been to Africa and back for international duty with Senegal this week, and therefore the decision to start a fresher Peter Crouch up front could be a Mark Hughes masterstroke.
The Welshman finds room for Bojan in his attacking midfield trio, handing the silky Spaniard a first start since the opening day of the season, with Victor Moses and Jonathan Walters either side of him.
Oussama Assaidi is still short of match fitness, but is named on the Potters bench after rejoining on loan from Liverpool on deadline day, replacing Peter Odemwingie, who is out until Christmas.
German defender Robert Huth, who missed much of last term with a knee injury, is back in contention for Stoke but is currently struggling to dislodge Marc Wilson as partner to Ryan Shawcross.
The visitors are forced into one change, with first-choice goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel having picked up a knock on international duty with Denmark. Ben Hamer comes in for his Premier League bow.
Foxes boss Nigel Pearson resists the temptation to hand a debut to decorated Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, sticking with Dean Hammond and Andy King in the centre of the park.
That means the former Real Madrid and Inter Milan star, along with Danny Drinkwater, have to settle for places on the bench, but there are no signs of Leicester's three deadline-day signings.
Neither Tom Lawrence and Nick Powell, who arrived permanently and on loan from Manchester United respectively, nor former QPR full-back Danny Simpson, are in the matchday squad.
Leonardo Ulloa again leads the Foxes line and has already scored twice since his club-record £8m move from Brighton & Hove Albion. He has been one of several players to impress for the East Midlands outfit in what has been a reasonable start to the season, considering their fixtures.
© Getty Images
While they only have two points on the board, their performances in holding their own in games against three of last season's top five have given Leicester fans cause for survival optimism.
Riyad Mahrez has been another who has settled into Premier League life immediately and with Richie de Laet behind him and Jeffrey Schlupp on the left, they possess a great counter-attacking threat.
Stoke's triumph at the Etihad Stadium were bonus points on paper, but much needed after their slow start to the campaign. They lost at home to Aston Villa and failed to beat 10-man Hull City.
The Potters did a mixture of smart and exciting business in the summer, bringing in the flair of Bojan and Diouf to complement the English steel of Phil Bardsley and Steve Sidwell, so Hughes will be optimistic that they can at least match their Premier League best finish of 10th last campaign.
Just under 10 minutes until kickoff now, which is plenty of time to watch Sports Mole panellists Matt Law, Barney Corkhill and Pascal Lemesre preview the clash at the Britannia Stadium.
REFEREE WATCH: Michael Oliver is the man in the middle this afternoon.
PREDICTION: Stoke lost fewer top-flight matches [three] than any team outside of the top four last season and having already slipped up to Aston Villa, I cannot see them being defeated at the Britannia Stadium again. I think this could be low scoring, with the Potters edging it 1-0.
KICKOFF! The action is underway in Staffordshire....
UPDATES! It's been a slow start here, but we have already have four goals in the Premier League! Southampton led Newcastle United 1-0, Romelu Lukaku has scored against former club West Bromwich Albion to put Everton ahead, while Tottenham Hotspur have seen their second-minute lead at the Stadium of Light cancelled out by Adam Johnson's deflected strike. My oh my, the Premier League is back!
While Ryan Shawcross gets some treatment for a cut above his eye sustained in an aerial duel, I shall remind you of the one result from the Premier League already today, with Arsenal and Manchester City drawing 2-2 at the Emirates Stadium. Stoke's brave captain is okay to continue...
First real glimpses of life at the Britannia as Steven N'Zonzi embarks on a Diouf-esque charge up the field, shoving off Hammond and King before dragging a 20-yard shot well wide of the post.
Crouch drifts into the right channel and creates space to chip a high ball into the box. That's the sort of service that the striker would like this afternoon, but will get no joy from the diminutive Bojan.
Debutant Hamer is quick off his line to thwart Walters, who looked to have got away from Liam Moore, chasing down a ball over the top. That will do the goalkeeper, who joined the Foxes from Championship Charlton Athletic this summer, the world of good after a couple of nervy kicks early on.
CHANCE! Really good opportunity for the hosts as Crouch gets a run on Wes Morgan from a corner only to head a couple of yards wide. The ex-England man probably should have scored.
The Potters have had 66% possession so far and are starting to pin Leicester back. Moses nearly gets in behind on the left edge of the area, only for the pacey De Laet to make an important tackle.
A scuffed cross from Walters causes panic in the Leicester box when Hamer spills it under pressure from Crouch at the near post. The stand-in stopper appeared to take his eye of the ball at the last minute. Speaking of eyes, Shawcross has to leave the field again to get his injury cleaned up.
SHOT! Bojan buys a foul under minimal contact fro De Laet, and when the resultant set piece is cleared, Whelan takes on a first-time shot which spins comfortably wide of Hamer's right post.
UPDATE: Still goalless here, but there are nets bulging across the Premier League. A second Graziano Pelle goal has put Southampton 2-0 up against Newcastle, while in-form Swansea City lead co-leaders Chelsea 1-0 thanks to a John Terry own goal on 10 minutes.
BOOKING: It is all getting a bit feisty here, with a strong 50-50 between Paul Konchesky and Whelan prompting a series of rough challenges. Crouch is punished for the worst of these, lunging in on David Nugent near the left touchline and getting a yellow card for his troubles.
CLOSE! That's more like the Crouch we know and love! The 6ft 7in forward has an eye for the spectacular and an overhead from Bardsley's cross goes narrowly over the bar.
SHOT! Whelan tries his luck from distance again, but Hamer gathers his low piledriver. All the chances are falling Stoke's way, although perhaps none of them clear cut.
Hamer is stranded as he retreats after initially coming off his line to claim a corner. Shawcross heads over, and Crouch was better positioned to punish Hamer's indecision just behind the Stoke captain.
Leicester simply cannot keep the ball at present. They need their wingers to hog the touchlines to give them outlets, but Mahrez and Schlupp are being dragged inside because the Foxes cannot cope with Stoke's numbers in the middle of the park, with Bojan dropping deeper to make a three.
CLOSE! Moses balloons a free kick 20 rows back, but Crouch does scare Hamer with a 22-yard shot which comes within a whisker of the post. Stoke are really knocking on the door here.
Hughes will be pleased with what he has seen thus far, but may be frustrated if his side cannot mark their clear dominance on the scoresheet before half time. Around four minutes to change that...
Leicester finally get out of their own half, but their afternoon so far is summed up by Mahrez crossing straight out of play and Schlupp running the ball behind in quick succession.
Moses gets in behind De Laet, but does one trick too many and eventually sees his cross blocked. He should have kept things simple and pulled back for an unmarked N'Zonzi on the edge of the box.
The Chelsea loanee does have the end product this time, crossing high to the back post, where N'Zonzi heads off Konchesky into the side-netting. Hamer does very well to catch the resultant corner.
HALF-TIME: STOKE 0-0 LEICESTER
Michael Oliver's whistle brings to the end a first half which was totally dominated by Stoke City, but they could not get the half-tme lead that their play at the Britannia Stadium unquestionably warranted.
Crouch has been heavily involved and twice came close for the Potters, while N'Zonzi and Whelan have each tested debutant keeper Ben Hamer from range. Leicester have not had a sniff.
LATEST: Diego Costa's fifth goal in four games has earned Chelsea half-time parity with co-leaders Swansea. Southampton lead Newcastle by two at the break thanks to Graziano Pelle, while Romelu Lukaku's first goal of the season has put Everton 1-0 up at West Brom. Spurs and Sunderland are level after two goals in the opening four minutes, while Crystal Palace and Burnley are goalless.
STATS: Stoke have had 65% possession, and much of that in the Foxes half. They have yet to convert that into a goal, but have had 13 shots and five corners compared to Leicester's one and none.
KICKOFF: The action resumes in Staffordshire, where Leicester have made two changes...
SUBSTITUTIONS: It's an exciting sight for the travelling Leicester fans as Esteban Cambiasso makes his Premier League bow. He and Danny Drinkwater have come on for Andy King and Riyad Mahrez, with Nigel Pearson clearly keen to match Stoke up with three men in central midfield.
Stoke have picked up where they left off and already have Leicester retreating again. Twice they get to the left byline, but after skilful runs, neither Bojan or Moses can cross beyond the first man.
BOOKING: Pieters follows Crouch into the book after thumping into the back of Ulloa, who is now playing up front on his own, with Nugent having been shifted to the right as part of the half-time reshuffle.
SAVE! Bojan dribbles across the box before quickly changing direction and losing his marker in a blue shirt to unleash a dipping 20-yard effort which Hamer catches in the centre of the goal.
Cambiasso pings a 50-yard ball over the top for Ulloa to challenge for, and Wilson is forced to head behind for a corner. Leicester's new man is a favourite already with the Foxes fans. He is being cheered loudly every time he touches the ball and has already assumed set-piece responsibilities.
Cambiasso and the change of shape have made a real difference for the visitors, and they nearly carve out a first real chance but the ball just does not fall to Schlupp a couple of yards inside the area.
PENALTY CLAIM! Walters wants a penalty after being clattered from behind by De Laet while trying to head a Moses free kick goalwards. Referee Oliver is having none of it.
Crouch easily climbs above Moore to win a flick on for Bojan. The Spaniard is one-on-one with Morgan and tries to go down the outside, but Leicester's skipper makes a great block from his shot.
GOAL! STOKE 0-1 LEICESTER (LEONARDO ULLOA)
Well wouldn't you just know it! It has been all Stoke for the first hour and now Leicester have scored with their first real chance. Ulloa starts and finishes the move, showing great hold up play before continuing his run into the box to smartly adjust his body to convert Konckesky's cross from five yards.
All of a sudden, Stoke are chasing a game which they were in full control of. Bojan hits a rising shot over the bar and then goes down under Hammond's challenge on the edge of the area, trying to con referee Oliver into giving a penalty. Walters had found his teammate during a quick breakaway.
Pieters is down having taken a knock to his ankle. Hughes may be forced into a substitution here, but he may have been thinking about changes at this stage in the game anyway.
CHANCE! This might not be Stoke's day. Crouch tussles with Moore before laying off to Walters, who takes a touch eight yards out and allows Morgan to dive in and make a crucial block. Crouch collects to set up N'Zonzi, whose shot is deflected behind for a corner.
We are back with the status quo here, with Stoke having regained the ascendancy as they seek an equaliser. They are piling the pressure on Leicester now as Konchesky is forced to concede a corner.
SUBSTITUTIONS: A change for each side as Hughes throws on Diouf in place of Bojan for the final 15 minutes. Leicester boss Pearson swaps Schlupp for Jamie Vardy in his forward three.
CHANCES! Leicester come close to sealing the points as Cambiasso and Schlupp combine to provide Drinkwater with a good chance, which is foiled when Begovic rushes off his line. Seconds later, the ball breaks to Hammond, whose sweetly struck shot misses the post by inches.
Cambiasso drives a really flat free kick into the box which Hammond glances just over the bar, and Leicester press for a second again moments later when Ulloa wriggled through a few challenges, only for Wilson to deny him a shooting opportunity with a last-minute tackle.
Stoke break through Moses, who has Crouch and Diouf up with him. Konchesky blocks the cross.
SUBSTITUTION: Last throw of the dice for Hughes as he calls on the returning Assaidi, who is greeted with huge cheers as he makes his Britannia comeback Walters is sacrificed.
SUBSTITUTION Hughes has to take off the injured Pieters with his final substitution, as Marc Muniesa comes on. That will prevent him from making one final attacking change.
Assaidi has been lively already, but his latest cross does not beat the first man. Referee Olivier laughs away penalty appeals for handball after Shawcross had headed the ball against Hammond.
Stoke have another corner as Drinkwater fails to shield the ball out of play under pressure from Diouf, after Muniesa's low cross had been blocked at the near post. Morgan provides the clearance.
Moore relieves the pressure on Leicester with a fantastic forward burst, from his own area to the left byline, and De Laet eventually arrives at the back post, but does neither shoot or cross.
DOUBLE SAVE! Hamer could be the hero for Leicester on his Premier League debut after pulling off two outstanding saves. He firstly palms away Diouf's powerful left-footed effort and then blocks bravely at the feet of Moses, who turned to shoot just four yards from goal.
Assaidi's strike is deflected wide for a corner. There will be FIVE minutes of stoppage time.
Leicester have slowed the tempo down here and could be on their way to three valuable away points, which seemed so unlikely at half-time. They have two more minutes to hang on...
FULL-TIME: STOKE 0-1 LEICESTER:
Leicester get their first win back in the top flight, but Stoke boss Mark Hughes must be wondering how! His side completely dominated the match before Leonardo Ulloa's decisive 67th-minute strike.
That's it from me. Be sure to stay tuned to Sports Mole for reaction to the 3.00pm results and live coverage of Liverpool vs. Aston Villa from Anfield. Thanks for joining us today...
Written by
Joe Fish
Joe Fish
