Stoke City

At this point in the season, Mark Robins says he is more interested in how people in and around Stoke City are feeling than who is in the automatic promotion places.

His previous side Coventry are top of the Championship while The Potters are second after a 3-0 win against Charlton on Tuesday.

When asked how he feels about seeing the two sides' places in the league table, Robins said: "I want to be top."

He added: "It's not something I sit and stare at. It's not something I sit and think about too much. It's only 17 games, you look at all sorts of things that you can't affect and then you're wasting time so you procrastinate about things that you've got no control over so, no point.

"I think that my energy is better served to look at what we're doing, what we can do better and then getting on with that and I think everybody is aware of that.

"The staff and the players are aware of that. It's only about us. We talk about it's us in the building, it's us around the place, it's our supporters, it's you guys [the media], the positivity and the good will that we've gleaned.

"Those are the things that feel good around the place and you can really use that to push things forward and I think that the players are in a brilliant place because of all of those things, because of the performances they put in so I'm happy with all of those things.

"Christmas is around the corner and there'll be plenty of work that goes on in the community now, that continues all season anyway but we can start to put a little bit back into the community."

You can listen to more from Mark Robins on BBC Sounds.

Stoke City will look to maintain their position in the automatic promotion spots as they host a bruised but promotion-contending Hull City on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Potters currently sit in second place after a 3-0 victory over Charlton ended a two-match losing streak.

But the Tigers will have plenty of motivation for a win of their own after two straight losses puts them outside the top 10 but still just two points adrift of the top six.

• The home side has failed to win any of the last seven league meetings between Stoke City and Hull City (D1 L6), since the Potters won 2-0 in September 2021.

• Hull City have won their last two away league games against Stoke, as many as they had in their previous 18 visits to the Potters (D7 L9).

• Stoke have won five of their last eight league games (L3), one more win than their previous 12 matches in the Championship (W4 D4 L4).

• Hull have lost three of their last four league games (W1), as many as in their opening 13 games of the 2025-26 season (W6 D4 L3).

• Since the start of 2021-22, Stoke's Sorba Thomas has both the most assists (34) and chances created (323) in the Championship, while last time out against Charlton Athletic was the second time in a Football League game he recorded three goal involvements (2 goals, 1 assist) after August 2021 v Reading.

Nick Mashiter
Football reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke are in the hunt to sign Louie Barry on loan next month with Aston Villa planning to recall him from Sheffield United.

The midfielder has not played for the Blades since October and Villa will bring him back and immediately send him back out on loan in January.

Promotion-chasing Stoke, second in the Championship, are among a host of interested clubs which include Derby, Hull and Oxford.

Barry spent the second half of last season on loan at Hull - after a successful 16-goal loan spell in League One with Stockport - but it was cut short by a knee injury and he made just four appearances.

The 22-year-old has been struggling with a cyst in his right knee and has returned to Bodymoor for treatment.

He is expected back at Bramall Lane next month and is due to be available for the Blades' final games of the year but it remains unlikely he will play.

He started the season well under Ruben Selles but United lost their opening five games before Selles was sacked and replaced by the returning Chris Wilder.

Barry made nine appearances for the Blades but has started just once under Wilder, in a 1-0 win over Watford in October, while his knee issue forced him to miss Sunday's derby win at Sheffield Wednesday.

"We are quickly approaching the halfway mark of the season and it's not just the top six, they [Stoke] are second.

"I know Ipswich will have a say in that, they've got a game in hand and look like the team that are making a bit of a move but Stoke are finishing in the top six."

Lucas Yeomans and Stoke City commentator Mark Elliott dissect a fantastic 3-0 performance against Charlton Athletic that sees them up to second on the Championship table and get a little carried away dreaming of a promotion-contending season.

Listen to the full episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night and more Stoke City content on BBC Sounds.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Getty Images

Robert Bozenik did not even need to think when asked what he needs to do to take his game to the next level.

"Goals, goals, goals," was the reply.

Making a rare start for Stoke in place of the rested Divin Mubama, Bozenik was singled out by his manager Mark Robins for praise despite leaving Tuesday's 3-0 win over Charlton without adding his name to the scoresheet.

He came close, firing just wide from the edge of the box in the second half but his work-rate and hold up play were superb.

Bozenik has never been prolific but has been working with Robins - a former forward himself - to improve his strike-rate.

Off the pitch, he says he has settled in well, sharing a commute with international team-mate Tomas Rigo from an area they both share with Burnley goalkeeper and fellow Slovakian Martin Dubravka.

On it, against Charlton he showed he can offer plenty to Stoke's season.

They have long had competition for places all over the pitch and Tatsuki Seko, Steven Nzonzi and Eric Bocat came in as Robins made four changes to his side and did well.

That has helped put them in a great position in the Championship table and now for the first time since arriving from Boavista in the summer, Bozenik has had a big part to play in a significant game.

With Mubama, the fit-again Sam Gallagher and Bozenik to choose from, Robins has options in the one area that had looked light.

Stoke have genuine depth and a real chance at getting themselves to January in a position to make a run at promotion to the Premier League.

Stoke City boss Mark Robins says his side probably played better in the Championship defeats to Leicester and Coventry than they did in the 3-0 win over Charlton on Tuesday night.

But the 55-year-old believes the victory was "well-deserved" and is delighted the Potters have moved into the automatic promotion spots.

"It probably felt like we were comfortable," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"We were in front early after two minutes, followed that up and then we were three-up in the first half.

"They had a real go at us. We kept things simple because that was what got us the goals.

"I think it was well-deserved and just reward, really, because the three performances we have had over the last three games, this, Coventry and Leicester - it probably wasn't our best performance of the three.

"We've ended up getting three goals, conceding none and winning three points. So, happy days, because I think this moves us up to second."

This is a first league meeting between and Stoke and Charlton for five years and Addicks' boss Nathan Jones will hope it goes better than his last encounter against another of his former clubs.

Charlton's 5-1 drubbing at home by Southampton on Saturday leaves them looking to avoid three successive league defeats.

A victory for Stoke and defeat for Middlesbrough against leaders Coventry would move the Potters into second place in the Championship.

• The home side has won each of the past four league meetings between Stoke and Charlton, with this the first since a 3-1 victory for the Potters in February 2020.

• Charlton have won just one of their past 13 away league games against Stoke (D2 L10), with that coming in their first ever visit to the bet365 Stadium in February 1998 (2-1).

• Stoke lost 1-0 in their last home league game against Coventry, last losing consecutive home matches in September 2024.

• Charlton's first six away league games this season followed a pattern of draw, loss, victory, draw, loss, victory. Their seventh game was a draw at Hull and then they lost at Wrexham in their eighth.

• Since winning their first meeting in October 2017 with Coventry (3-0 vs Luton), Stoke boss Mark Robins is winless in his past seven against Charlton's Nathan Jones (D3 L4), most recently a 2-2 draw in September 2022.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City Under-21s head coach Dave Hibbert has left the side to join Wycombe Wanderers as their first-team set-piece coach.

The 39-year-old took charge of the Potters Premier League 2 team in January and departs after 12 years of service within Stoke's academy.

Former Potters winger Liam Lawrence will take charge of the vacant head coach role in the interim.

"Dave has made a significant contribution to the development of hundreds of academy players, on and off the pitch, in more than a decade of service to Stoke City," Stoke academy manager Sam Stockley said., external

"Dave has our gratitude for his dedication to his various roles at the club and our sincere best wishes for his future career."

Image source, Getty Images

We asked you if you were pleased to see Stoke City boss Mark Robins handed a new three-and-a-half year deal.

Here is what you had to say:

Joe: Absolute lifesaver for the club. He's the first manager that knows what he's doing since we came down from the Premier League. Happy to keep Robins.

David: Locking up Robins is the smartest personnel move Stoke have made since bringing him on in the first place. We'll be a competitive team as long as he's the man in charge. It's a long time since we've had that kind of stability, or a season to look forward to like this one.

Lev: Absolutely superb! People at the top realise what a difference he has made, instilling an optimistic pleasure now being felt by the fans.

Dave: It's a smart move by the club, and a loyal statement from the manager. The early signs of progress this season have caught the eye, and hopefully this move will ensure that staff and players will believe that they can achieve great things with Stoke City in the future.

MadPotter64: Fantastic news, Robins has brought stability to a club that was going nowhere. Hopefully a play-off place this year but if not, he has still done a great job and a brilliant turnaround from nearly being relegated last season.

Callum: Though a huge Robins fan, I think the board have been a little too hasty in giving him the contract.

Maybe wait to the end of season first.

Mark Elliott
BBC Radio Stoke commentator

Image source, Shutterstock

Leicester had two shots on target and scored each time.

Both, admittedly, came from Stoke City errors in possession. First from Ashley Phillips and then from Bae Junho, but that might actually bolster the case that the Potters were the better side in this one.

The second goal was the real killer, right on half-time but Stoke had enough of the ball and enough chances in the second half to take at least a point.

That they did not leaves them looking to bounce back from two successive defeats but far from disheartened.

Everyone who follows the club knows that Stoke need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to allow their consistently-outstanding defence the luxury of being able to make the odd error, but on the balance of play they have probably been a clear second best in just two or three games this season.

That said, they are now faced with two big home games and a test of their resolve, something all successful teams need.

Back-to-back defeats can not become a run of three or four without a win, particularly with Charlton the visitors in midweek.

The Addicks travel north having won just one of their last five and having also lost their last two, with a 5-1 reverse at home against Southampton fresh in their minds.

Two good results for Stoke over the next week and the last two games can be forgotten.

If they can recover their momentum quickly the Potters will show they have the strength of character to stay the course, even when things are not going their way.

Image source, Rex Features

Boss Mark Robins said Stoke must make better decisions in the final third following the 2-1 loss away against Leicester City.

"I thought we started off really brightly," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"But you look at the chances we had and the decision making, sometimes it's not the right one. Sometimes we'll take a shot when it's a pass, sometimes we'll pass when it's a shot.

"It's just those mixed up moments, but everybody is allowed to make mistakes, that's the nature of a human being and it's about how you rectify them.

"To give the ball away in an area that then cost us a goal, not just once, but twice, is really frustrating.

"After a really bright start in the first half, you're two goals down going into the second half - right on half-time when you give the second goal away. You know you're going to have a conversation at half-time. They came out and lifted the performance; it was more like us."

If you're wondering where your team is going to finish in the Championship this season, you no longer need to worry.

Well, kind of.

Opta's supercomputer has worked its magic to figure out the most likely final league position of every team - and the chances each has of being promoted, making the play-offs or getting relegated.

Who is most likely to win automatic promotion?

It will come as no surprise that leaders Coventry are heavy favourites for the title (69.3%) and also have the highest chance of automatic promotion (84.2%) to the Premier League.

The next most likely to go straight up, with a 30.8% chance, are Middlesbrough. Despite currently sitting seventh and six points behind Boro in second, Ipswich are expected to be the third favourites for a top two finish (18.9%) followed by Stoke (14.1%).

Even though they've each enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, Preston (10.3%), Hull (6.1%) and Millwall (8.3%) have slimmer chances of finishing in an automatic promotion spot.

Who will make the play-offs?

Image source, Rex Features

Even if Coventry don't win automatic promotion, Opta's supercomputer has given the Sky Blues a 97.9% chance of a top-six finish, suggesting it's almost guaranteed.

Each of Middlesbrough, Ipswich, Preston and Stoke are expected to finish in a minimum of a play-off position at least one in two times.

Hull might feel the hardest done by as they sit fifth currently, but are said to have less chance (32.3%) than Millwall (38.8%) and Charton (32.4%), who are below them in the table.

The most likely of the chasing pack to make a surge up the table are 12th-placed Leicester City, who have been given a 31.8% chance of finishing in the top six and are more likely than Bristol City (28.9%), Derby (22.9%) and Birmingham (19.9%).

Last season's beaten play-off finalists Sheffield United have just a 1.8% chance of recovering their season to make the play-offs again, while relegated Premier League side Southampton (12.5%) aren't likely to either... if you trust the supercomputer!

Who is going down?

Image source, Rex Features

It's probably not hard to work out who is most likely to finish bottom and be relegated to League One.

Sheffield Wednesday's 12-point deduction, which has left them 17 points adrift of safety on -4 points, means they're pretty much nailed on to finish bottom (84.8%) - and failing that, are almost certain to go down (98.2%).

Second from bottom Norwich are the next most likely candidates to fall through the trap door (58.5%) but Sheffield United, who currently occupy the final relegation spot, have just a 22.4% chance of going down and are considered more likely to stay up than Oxford (37.8%) and Portsmouth (31.3%).

Stoke City boss Mark Robins says he's "over the moon" to have his contract at the club extended with a three-and-a-half year deal.

"From now on, we've got to go and achieve something," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke.

"Tangibly, that makes sense to go and win something and be rewarded like that. This is just out the blue and I'm really appreciative of it.

"I love being the manager of this football club. My commitment was never in doubt and is never in doubt."

What do you think of his new deal Potters fans?

Let us know your thoughts on Robins' contract extension here.

Leicester City return to Championship action after the international break as they welcome high-flying Stoke City to the King Power on Saturday (15:00 GMT).

The Foxes lie 12th, four points below the play-off places, having come from behind to claim a dramatic late win at Norwich in their final game before the break to end a five-match winless run in which they claimed just two points.

Off the back of three straight wins, the Potters went down to a late winner at home to leaders Coventry last time out and slipped to third, two points behind second-placed Middlesbrough.

• Leicester City have won their past two league games against Stoke and are looking for three consecutive wins over the Potters for the first time since March 1977.

• Stoke City have won one of their past 12 league games against Leicester (D6 L5), winning 1-0 in the Premier League back in January 2015.

• Leicester go into this game six points behind Stoke in the Championship table. The Foxes have won just one of their past 25 league games when trailing a side by 6+ points in the table going into the game (D4 L20), winning 2-1 at Tottenham in January.

• Stoke have won their past two away league games and are looking to win three in a row for the first time since a run of four in November/December 2005. They've already won as many away games in 2025/26 as they managed in the entirety of 2024/25 (4).

• Leicester's Abdul Fatawu ranks first for ball carries (291), shots after a ball carry (28) and ball carry distance (3,448 metres) in the Championship this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City striker Divin Mubama scored twice as England Under-21s moved to the top of their European Championship qualifying group.

The on-loan Manchester City forward scored the first and fourth goals in a 4-0 win over Slovakia in Presov.

Mubama's brace made it three goals in his past two games for the U21 side after he scored in a 2-0 win over the Republic of Ireland at Birmingham's St Andrew's Stadium last Friday.

England are the defending European champions having won the title in the summer when beating Germany 3-2 in the final, also in Slovakia.

Stoke City loanee Jamie Donley opened his international account during Northern Ireland's final World Cup qualifier on Monday night.

Donley converted a penalty in the 1-0 win over Luxembourg which was the 20-year-old's second start for his national team.

The Potters forward, on loan from Spurs, earned plaudits from Northern Ireland manager Michael O'Neill who called Donley the "best player on the pitch".

He continued: "Look, there's no secret that the nine is a problem position for us. I think Jamie has different attributes maybe from some of the other strikers.

"I thought he did really well in the game. He's clever, his link-up play is good. He is a very talented boy."

Is Donley ready to fill Northern Ireland's 'problem position'?

"I think there's a fair chance that Stoke City get promoted this season.

"A third of the way into the season, we are in third - it's in Stoke's hands, it's not as if they are relying on other teams to drop points here, they are massively in it. It's going to be themselves who mess this opportunity up if anything."

With a third of the season put into past tense, Lucas Yeomans and Ben Rowley take a look at Stoke City's promotion chances following last weekend's defeat by league leaders Coventry City.

Listen to the full episode of A Cold Wet Tuesday Night and more Stoke City content on BBC Sounds.

Image source, AFP via Getty Images

Stoke City boss Mark Robins said his side were not at their best but were unlucky to lose out to his former club Coventry City.

Ephron Mason-Clark grabbed a late winner in a tight game of few chances.

"I think the manner of the defeat is even more difficult to take," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke. "I'm disappointed with the result, I'm not disappointed with the effort we showed – the lads have given everything and we've been really competitive.

"I can't remember any clear-cut chances that they had – there was some good play but they play for corners, long throws and put you under pressure that way.

"We didn't mark properly from the long throw and we got punished for it, that's the disappointment for us.

"In terms of overall play, it was pretty nip and tuck but we had the best chance of the game with Mill (Manhoef) right in front of the goal from a Sorba Thomas cross and we didn't take it.

"That was huge – had we taken that, it could have been slightly different. I thought one or two were off it today, we didn't get enough of a spark when we needed that."