Mike Ashley is in the building! The Newcastle owner has just turned up in a chauffeur-driven people carrier and was shielded from the rain in his short walk to the main reception by a Stoke official using a club umbrella. Ashley, who is wearing his trademark white shirt and black trousers, signs autographs on his way into the building. One fan shouts: 'Are you signing a cheque?' Ashley looks up and smiles.

Image source, AFP

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew speaking to Sky Sports: "We've got options. Papiss Cisse needs fitness but in the last period of the game, the last 30 minutes, he can feature and hopefully get us some goals.

"Prior to Southampton we deserved more than we got and played reasonably well. Southampton was nowhere near good enough but we've shown resilience. You have to be battle hard and you have to dig deep and fight. A win today puts us in a position where we're not far behind the bigger teams. It's an important night.

"A win would settle a lot of things down. We can't determine what happens off the pitch but a win gives you good confidence. If we can see the best from our players then we can win this game."

Stoke: Begovic, Bardsley, Shawcross, Wilson, Muniesa, Whelan, Nzonzi, Diouf, Adam, Moses, Crouch. Subs: Pieters, Huth, Ireland, Arnautovic, Assaidi, Bojan, Sorensen.

Newcastle: Krul, Janmaat, Williamson, Coloccini, Dummett, Tiote, Colback, Sissoko, Cabella, Gouffran, Riviere. Subs: Anita, Cisse, Elliot, Obertan, Steven Taylor, Ameobi, Armstrong.

Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire)

Former England captain Gary Lineker on Twitter:, external Marvellous is a perfectly delightful film, beautifully acted and wonderfully directed by Julian Farino. We could all do with a bit of Neil.

There is a special guest at the Britannia Stadium in the shape of Neil Baldwin, Stoke's former kit man and the star of the fact-based drama Marvellous which was shown on BBC Two last week.

Marvellous tells the inspirational story of Neil's rise to fame - in spite of a life struggling with learning difficulties.

The Stoke-based Sentinel newspaper reports that a campaign calling for Neil to be given a knighthood has been launched, external - attracting more than 1,000 Facebook likes in just 24 hours.

Marvellous is still available to watch on the BBC iPlayer.

BBC Radio 5 live

Image source, Getty Images

Alan Pardew on BBC Radio 5 live: "I was born battle hardened - that comes natural to me. It's tough because you want the fans to be behind you and they are questioning everything I do."

After Mike Ashley's reported comments about Alan Pardew's future, we're asking what is the worst thing your boss has said about you? Let us know on #bbcfootball, external on Twitter, 81111 on text (UK only), or via the BBC Sport Facebook page, external and Google+ pages., external

James Wiswould:, external "The inside of your car is a disgrace. This tells me a lot about how you run a store".

Aliu John:, external My boss once told me in 2006, that the cash due to me weekly was better used in opening a fish farm.. I almost fainted!

Weather flash: It's absolutely tipping it down at the Britannia as the players warm up on the pitch. Meanwhile, Alan Pardew is dressed in a smart black suit and white shirt. He looks sombre.

Rory McDermott:, external Am I wrong or do Newcastle have an unbelievably bad record when playing on Monday in the Premier League? Pardew needs a miracle.

Leon Bacarese:, external A win for the Toon and they are level on points with Everton and a point behind Liverpool, interesting stuff.

Image source, @chroniclenufc

Strong words from former Newcastle striker Micky Quinn on Magpies owner Mike Ashley in Monday's Evening Chronicle. Quinn, who played for the club between 1989-1992, accuses Ashley of making them a laughing stock following claims he told a journalist that Pardew will be 'gone' if they lose at Stoke.

"In some ways Mike comes across as being childish," writes Quinn., external "Certainly, when he was sitting with the fans and wearing a Newcastle shirt and drinking pints it had that boyish element to it. He's never really had the respect of the fans since Kevin Keegan left the club.

"His decisions and lack of communication are making him so unpopular. He makes some terrible decisions. Who is advising him?"

Former Everton defender Phil Neville
BBC Radio 5 live

On the pressure Alan Pardew is under: "I've been involved with England when Kevin Keegan was under mass pressure and it does become like a do-or-die situation "

Injured Stoke striker Peter Odemwingie:, external "Hopefully today we'll get our first home win of the PL season. Looking forward to watching it and wish all the boys a great game!

Former Everton winger Kevin Kilbane
MOTD2 Extra

"There is a lot of negative feeling around Newcastle. Even if they win two or three games Alan Pardew is going to be one defeat away from coming under renewed pressure."

Image source, PA

Stoke City's former Barcelona defender Marc Muniesa on Twitter:, external See you at 20:00 at the Britannia Stadium Potters! We'll work together to get a victory tonight.

Mark Hughes makes one change to the Stoke team that drew 2-2 at QPR in their last Premier League match with Marc Muniesa, who scored both goals in the 2-1 Capital One Cup win at Sunderland, replacing Erik Pieters at left-back.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew names the same side that came from behind to draw 2-2 with Hull in their last league game. That means Papiss Cisse is on the bench despite scoring both goals against Hull after climbing off the substitutes bench.

Image source, Getty Images

Mark Hughes must be delighted all the attention has been on Newcastle and Alan Pardew in the build-up to this game. After all, his Stoke side have hardly set the Premier League on fire themselves.

Indeed, they have won just one of their opening five games this term and start 17th in the table, one point above the relegation zone.

A big Potters win will change all that, however, and could result in Hughes's side rocketing up the table to seventh! As Irish crooner Ronan Keating once sang, life is a roller coaster. Especially if you're a Premier League boss.

After Mike Ashley reportedly told a journalist that Alan Pardew will be gone if Newcastle lose to Stoke, what is the worst thing your boss has said to you? Keep it clean and amusing!

Let us know on #bbcfootball, external on Twitter, 81111 on text (UK only), or via the BBC Sport Facebook page, external and Google+ pages., external

BBC Radio 5 live

Build-up to the game is starting now on BBC Radio 5 live followed by full commentary from 20:00 BST with Conor McNamara, who is joined by former Manchester United and Everton defender Phil Neville.

Just click on the 'Live coverage' tab above to listen.

Conor McNamara
BBC Radio 5 live at the Britannia Stadium

"It says a lot about the Premier League these days that the main talking point ahead of this game is centred upon comments uttered outside a London pub. Many Newcastle fans have been vocal with their "Pardew Out" campaign.

"It's difficult to tell how much Mike Ashley is swayed by public opinion. The owner has never seemed overly concerned with winning any popularity contests on Tyneside. Obviously what Newcastle cannot afford is relegation from the top flight. The strategy of attracting promising, yet affordable, players to St James' Park will suffer without the enticement of the bright lights of the Premier League."