This Week's Opposition: Stoke City

The Potters are picked apart by Pompey Live and The Football Hour host Jake Smith ahead of Wednesday evening's Championship encounter at the bet365 Stadium.

Following Saturday’s goalless draw with Sheffield United, the Blues go from playing one red and white striped outfit to another - Stoke City their next opponent.

7 league games in and Pompey are still searching for their first win of the season. Time now to take a closer look at the side hoping to stop their own decline in form.

MANAGER

Following the dismissal of Steven Schumacher just 2 weeks ago, The Potters are now under the management of Spaniard Narcís Pèlach, who took over from Ryan Shawcross on interim duty.

The 36-year-old, who is sometimes known as ‘Chicho’, has taken first-team managerial positions at Catalonian sides Unió Esportiva Figueres and Club de Futbol Peralada prior to this role in Staffordshire.

Pèlach has since held an interim role on 2 occasions at Huddersfield too, though never trusted to take the reigns there permanently.

He has overseen just 2 games for Stoke so far and tasted defeat in both.

ONE TO WATCH

Striker Sam Gallagher is one to keep an eye on at the bet365 this week.

The 29-year-old joined the club for an undisclosed fee from Blackburn Rovers in the summer but has only managed 1 appearance so far this term owing to injury at the start of it.

Gallagher came on for the final 36 minutes at the Riverside Stadium on Saturday and could just be the answer to The Potters’ prayers after a below-par opening 2 months of the season.

TOP SCORER

Stoke have managed 4 league goals so far this season and they have each been scored by different players.

Midfielder Ben Wilmot has 1, as does youngster Lewis Koumas, midfielder Lewis Baker - who is now on loan at Blackburn - and forward Million Manhoef.

The latter, Manhoef, is the club’s overall leading scorer across all competitions with 3, thanks to a brace in a 5-0 Carabao Cup Round 2 victory at Middlesbrough.

CURRENT FORM

The Potters sit 21st in the Championship standings after 7 matches - 3 places and 2 points above Pompey in 23rd.

Stoke began the campaign pretty well  with a 1-0 win over Coventry City on home soil before back-to-back defeats to Watford and West Brom.

Since then just 1 win from 4, that coming away at Plymouth before being hit with 3 defeats on the spin - Their last game at Middlesbrough saw them lose by 2 goals to nil.

It’s almost time to find out the answer to one of modern football’s biggest questions… Can the Blues do it on a cold Wednesday night in Stoke?

Find out by catching all of the unmissable action here on Express FM when Pompey Live returns for full coverage of the game, this Wednesday (October 2nd) evening from 7pm. Jake Smith will be joined alongside Kirsty Roxanne and Henry Deacon for full pre-match build-up, half-time analysis and post-game reaction.

Kick-off: 7:45pm!