Former Tottenham manager David Pleat
BBC Radio 5 live

"QPR are having a fair amount of the play but are going through the middle. The striped Stoke shirts are massing in that area and are getting their foot in. QPR need to play it down the sides and look for an overload."

Image source, Getty Images

Chris Edwards:, external The nature of that Stoke goal is why Manchester United didn't renew Rio Ferdinand's contract.

Baba Bayo:, external What is the point of Leroy Fer?

Mathew Penistone:, external Joey Barton has been pretty quiet on Twitter this season. On the evidence of today that is not going to change anytime soon!

Image source, PA

It's goalless at the break at Vicarage Road.

The visitors have had the better of it and should have gone ahead inside the first five minutes but Ian Harte put his penalty wide after Gabriel Tamas had fouled Callum Wilson in the area.

Wilson forced Watford keeper Heurelho Gomes into a fine save just before the break as the Cherries looked to make the most of their early dominance.

Watford will go top of the Championship with a win but they are looking distinctly out of sorts right now.

You've certainly seen fouls given for the type of leap employed by Peter Crouch in the build-up to Stoke's goal. But there is also a case that he was just up earlier than Rio Ferdinand. It's not an offence to be 6ft 7ins tall.

Image source, Reuters

Andy: Surely that was a foul on Rio Ferdinand for the goal? Peter Crouch was climbing all over him, using him as a launch-pad and not allowing Rio to jump to challenge for the ball in the air. Awful refereeing.

Andrew in Richhill: With Stoke sitting on four points and QPR with three, today's game is hugely important to both sides as the early season Premier League season starts to take shape. Neither side want to be dragged into the bottom three and a relegation battle in the first few weeks of the season.

The cameras pick out former England boss Glenn Hoddle high in the stands at Loftus Road. The longer he stays out of management, the higher his stock rises. If you'd invested £100 in shares in the Hod five years ago, you'd be retiring to the south of France on the back of the profits right about now.

Linked with the Fulham job this week - how long will he stay in the (relative) shadows?

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat
BBC Radio 5 live

"What a chance Stoke wasted there. Once again breaking and getting an overload. That is the third time in the game already."

Stoke look very, very dangerous on the break as a QPR corner almost leads to a goal for the visitors. Mame Diouf hammers the ball away at the near post, then makes up 60 yards to get back on the end of it seconds later. He should go one more, a pass is on to his left, but he elects to shoot from 20 yards and the effort is poor. Sit back, soak it up - and hit Diouf over the top. That's the Stoke plan now.

Neil Lennon
Former Celtic manager on 5 live

"The fans see Alan Pardew as Mike Ashley's man so there will always been that antagonism. Has Ashley not done a good job in business terms? You can't defend the performance at Southampton last week. From the first minute to the last it was soulless.

"He has been in the job a long time. There is nothing coming from upstairs saying his job is on the line but he needs to put a string of results together. It is difficult in this atmosphere. I know how lonely a place it can be as a manager. When I was Celtic manager I was 15 points behind Rangers and 3-0 down at Kilmarnock and walking down the tunnel I felt like a dead man walking.

"When there's 50,000 people shouting for your head it's difficult. It's difficult to walk down the street when it's not going well, It's sometimes difficult when it is going well because people want to stop you and have a piece of you!"

Image source, PA

Just under two hours to kick-off at St James'. Alan Pardew will no doubt be preparing his team-talk right about now.

Can his side get a win?

Jay:, external Newcastle fans should be patient. Harry Redknapp might soon be available...

Sam Plester:, external Was letting Rio Ferdinand go the best bit of business Manchester United did this summer? QPR are haemorrhaging goals.

Adam Palmer:, external Peter Crouch was penalised for climbing a couple of minutes before, yet wasn't for the goal. Inconsistency.

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat
BBC Radio 5 live

"It is important now that Stoke show they haven't got that nervousness when they go in front. We know they can defend well from deep, they showed that at Manchester City. But they must try to keep going forwards. And if they keep their attacking instincts I think we will have a very exciting game here today."

Slick stuff from QPR, a really smart one-touch move involving Charlie Austin, Joey Barton and Eduardo Vargas, but the Chilean's final flick through is well read and cut out by Ryan Shawcross.

Austin then lashes a shot wide from 25 yards - good spell of pressure from Harry Redknapp's boys.

Image source, Getty Images

That's two goals on the road for Mame Biram Diouf now, the winner at Manchester City and today's opener. He won't score too many simpler than his 11th-minute effort at Loftus Road. Can QPR respond?

Former Tottenham manager David Pleat
BBC Radio 5 live

"The chance was created by Victor Moses, QPR just stood off him. Peter Crouch rose above everyone, and like he has done so many times in the past, headed it down and there was Mame Biriam Diouf to touch the ball in.

"It was a simple goal, a classic goal, and Robert Green had no chance. Pressure on Rangers."

Image source, Getty Images

And it could be 2-0! Stoke rip through a static QPR backline with a swift counter, and Victor Moses drills in a low shot which Rob Green does well to keep out. The QPR fans are a bit quieter now as Mark Hughes remains calm.

Peter Crouch gets the better of Rio Ferdinand again - and Stoke lead! This is a horrible, horrible goal to concede as Victor Moses is not closed down on the left, he stands up a teasing cross, Crouch gets up and over Ferdinand to head on, and Mame Biram Diouf can't miss. He doesn't, heads in from four yards, and Stoke are ahead...

Image source, PA

Chris Bevan
BBC Sport

"It remains to be seen how many Newcastle fans will pick up those SackPardew.com posters and banners and take them into the ground but, whatever happens later this afternoon, the supporters behind the campaign are adamant that, contrary to the fears of Magpies skipper Fabricio Coloccini, today's protest will not target the players.

"None of the protest organisers or people distributing material that I have spoken to today wanted to be named, but they say their message on that is clear - "whether you support the protest or not, you should get behind the team during the game."

From a straw poll of two tweets then, Alan Pardew has 50% support from Newcastle fans today. I think he'd take that right now...

Alex Paul:, external Under Alan Pardew we have managed 155 points in the last three seasons, which has us at 8th. Not that bad.

Lloyd Tomlinson:, external Pardew out, Moyes in.