Stoke City

Image source, Stoke City FC

Stoke City might still be labouring a little at the wrong end of the Championship table, but the Potters' women's team are at least enjoying a little success.

The women, who play in English football's third tier, won 3-0 in their National League Cup semi-final at Home Park, Plymouth.

And midfielder Molly Holder would love to see a few more to watch them play Nottingham Forest at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall on 23 March.

And no! The Potters' men's team don't have a game that day!

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins was critical of his team for allowing Portsmouth to "bully" them in their 3-1 defeat at Fratton Park on Wednesday, but also accused Pompey of using the "dark arts".

We asked you for your views on Robins' post-match comments and here is a selection of your responses:

Peter: Rubbish, I was at the game. It was a good physical game of football from both sides. No dark arts, just one team wanting it much more than the other.

Ronan: He's not wrong and it has been a weak point of Stoke's game all season, but it was a total failure by the referee to control the game in my opinion.

The standard of refereeing in this season's Championship has been diabolical - I dread to count the number of points we have lost to objectively incorrect refereeing decisions.

I confess I watch the Prem with envy every time the referee runs over to that monitor…

Darren: Robins need to worry about his own team being pretty poor, and how he is going to stop their slide down the table, rather than making excuses for the defeat. Pompey had 9 fouls against them, Stoke 12... Hmmm.

Adrian: Sounds like sour grapes to me. I never saw anything other than a normal game of modern football from both sides.

Expect better from Robins. Maybe the pressure of the position he finds himself in now is dawning on him.

Image source, Rex Features

Martin: There's nothing dark arts or bullying about it. It's full blooded commitment and hard work. Sour grapes. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Julian: Robins has got it so wrong. Pompey just ran and won most 50-50s. Stoke were outfought rather than outplayed!

Nick: Robins' comments are pretty laughable really. Pompey "comprehensively outplayed a poor Stoke side for the vast majority of the game".

I'm a Pompey fan, but the quote is from a couple of disappointed Stoke fans I met in the pub after!

Stoke City welcome a buoyant Oxford United as they look to move away from the Championship relegation battle on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Potters have not won a league game under new boss Mark Robins since his appointment at the start of the year (D2 L1).

While the U's are unbeaten in the Championship under boss Gary Rowett (W5 D2), lifting them nine points above the bottom three.

• Stoke have won one of their past seven league games against Oxford (W1 D3 L3), a 4-0 home win in September 2000 in the third tier.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in September, Oxford will be looking to produce a first league double over Stoke since the 1989-90 season.

• Stoke have lost two of their past 11 home league games (W3 D6 L2) and will be looking to keep three clean sheets in successive outings at the Bet365 Stadium in the same season for the first time since February 2023.

• Oxford have won one of their 13 away league games this season (W1 D4 L8), with only Plymouth (0) winning fewer on the road in the Championship this term.

• Ruben Rodrigues has scored four of Oxford's last seven away goals in the Championship. His four goals on the road are twice as many as any other Oxford player.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins was very critical of both his own team and Portsmouth after their 3-1 defeat at Fratton Park on Wednesday night.

The 55-year-old said the Potters were "bullied" by a Pompey side who rolled out "all the dark arts" on their way to victory.

"I'm really disappointed, they set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that," Robins said.

"We allowed them to bully us all night. I also didn't think for one second the referee was going to give a penalty [for the first goal] and then he did. It is what it is.

"Let's have it right, they've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, kicked us, and we've had nothing.

"It's all the dark arts, they've got experienced players in the other side of the game and it's old school football."

Robins' comments throw up a number of questions and we want to know what you think of his claims:

Were Stoke bullied by Portsmouth?

Did the decisions go against the Potters?

Do you agree with Robins that Pompey deployed the 'dark arts'?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins spoke to BBC Sport after their 3-1 defeat at Portsmouth.

"I'm really disappointed, they set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that.

"We allowed them to bully us all night, I also didn't think for one second the referee was going to give a penalty and then he did, it is what it is.

"Let's have it right they've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, kicked us and we've had nothing.

"It's all the dark arts, they've got experienced players in the other side of the game and it's old school football."

Sunderland and QPR are interested in Celtic winger Luis Palma, who is also drawing the eye of Stoke City and Swansea City. (Football Insider, external)

Millwall defender Dan McNamara is a subject of interest for Stoke, with the 26-year-old out of favour at the Den. (The72, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip here.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins has warned that Portsmouth will be a tough nut to crack on their own patch ahead of Wednesday's trip to Fratton Park.

The Potters are unbeaten in five games since the sacking of Narcis Pelach, having beaten Sunderland under caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross, who also oversaw a 0-0 draw at Burnley, before the two league draws under Robins either side of the FA Cup extra-time win in the rematch with Sunderland.

But Pompey, just two points behind the Potters in 22nd, are unbeaten at home since late October, having won five and drawn one of their past six games at Fratton Park, including a 4-1 come-from-behind win over Robins' old club Coventry City and a 4-0 victory over Swansea City.

"They're a bit up and down away," said Robins. "But they've done really well at home. They've got some good, honest players on the back of a good promotion.

"And it's that time of year when teams down there start to pick up points. They had another good win on Saturday (at home to Middlesbrough) and they'll be in a positive mood."

Robins is again without Ben Pearson, who "might be ready for a game with the Under-21s next week", and Ben Gibson, who is "hopefully not too far away" from returning to action.

Midfielder Lynden Gooch "will be able to train soon" and front man Million Manhoef is "making steady progress" after seven games out, but there is no word yet on the severity of teenager Sol Sidibe's back injury.

At least the disappointment of losing on-loan Tom Cannon was countered by teenager Nathan Lowe scoring at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday on his return from Walsall.

But Robins knows he needs to strengthen before deadline day on Monday, 3 February.

"Out of possession, the players have been really good," he said. "If you've got that, you've got a platform to build from. But we need a squad.

"That's something we're trying to put right as quickly as we can. We're trying to do one or two bits of business to alleviate some areas we need to address."

Portsmouth continued their impressive home form by beating Middlesbrough 2-1 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run at Fratton Park to six games (W5 D1).

Pompey have gained 19 points from 12 home games (W5 D4 L3) this season, compared to seven points from 14 away matches.

Stoke City are unbeaten in their past four Championship matches (W1 D3), following a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, but are still searching for a first league win under new boss Mark Robins (P2 D2).

• Portsmouth have lost each of their past three league games against Stoke, including a 6-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in October.

• Stoke have won two of their past 12 away league games against Portsmouth (W2 D4 L6), but could win on successive trips there in the EFL for the first time, following a 2-1 win in the Premier League in February 2010.

• Portsmouth have lost five of their seven midweek league games this season (W1 D1 L5), with Pompey failing to score in four of those matches.

• Stoke have won three of their past four Championship games against newly promoted sides (W3 L1).

• Robins is yet to win as a visiting manager against Portsmouth in the EFL (D1 L2), drawing 3-3 on his last trip with Coventry City in League One in August 2019.

Stoke City, Coventry City, QPR and Millwall are battling for the signature of Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp. (Football Insider), external

Sheffield United have agreed a £10m deal with Leicester City to sign striker Tom Cannon after he was recalled from a loan spell with Stoke City. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.

Ged Scott at The Hawthorns
BBC Sport England

Image source, PA Media

Stoke City boss Mark Robins praised the instant impact of Nathan Lowe who started back with his parent club just as he had left off at Walsall.

A week earlier, Lowe had scored his sixth goal in five games for League Two leaders Walsall in a 5-1 lunchtime win over Tranmere Rovers - to take his tally to 18 in his Saddlers loan spell.

With 15 in the league, the England Under-19 international was the EFL's joint top marksman with Norwich City's Borja Sainz and Stockport County's Louie Barry.

After being recalled last Sunday night by Stoke, 16 months on from his last goal for the Potters, Lowe netted again to become the EFL's leading striker on his own.

"He's only 19 and he has so much potential," Robins told BBC Sport. "He's an intelligent boy, who asks intelligent questions.

"I'm so pleased for him. He's come back full of confidence from scoring goals for Walsall – and they've obviously done a good job with him.

"He took his chance really well. He got himself in a good position and his finish was great.

"When we didn't score a second goal, you're always in danger of conceding and they were doing more attacking than us second half.

"But I'm happy to have come here and got a point. You can tell what a good side they are and why they are up there at this end of the league. They were always a threat."

Having gone five games unbeaten - three of them under new boss Robins - Stoke's third straight draw sets them up for a tough midweek trip to Portsmouth who sit four places below Stoke in 22nd, but just two points behind.

Plymouth Argyle and Stoke City have cooled their interest in a loan move for Wolves midfielder Luke Cundle after competition from Bristol City, Swansea and Millwall. (The 72, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Friday's gossip here.