That effort will cheer up Mark Hughes. Shortly before Arnautovic's effort, the Potters manager was grimacing in the dugout like a man who had just burnt his dinner in the oven.

Here we go then....a chance! Joselu dinks a ball over the Norwich defence from the left, straight into the path of Marko Arnautovic. The Austrian shoots early towards the left bottom corner, but his low, slightly scuffed effort is tipped wide by Canaries keeper Declan Rudd.

Dom Oka: might say #ncfc, external third kit is horrendous but hugely popular locally. Hopefully it will put off Stoke if others hate it so much!

Rachel Armitage: Norwich's away strip reminds me of a Twister ice lolly!

Other ice lollies are available.

Like a tug'o'war battle so far. Stoke pulling one way, Norwich the other, neither making any real progress. 

Little goalmouth action to warm the cockles so far. Stoke left-back Erik Pieters, making his 300th career appearance tonight shanks two passes out of play. Not an ideal start...

If you needed any indication of how cold it is at Stoke you just had to see the shot of the two home mascots before kick-off. 

The poor little things, both aged under 10 and wearing full replica kits, were shivering as they tried to raise smiles for the cameras. Hopefully they've got warm coats on now..

Peep peep! Ref Neil Swarbrick blows his whistle for the first time tonight - game on as the hosts kick off.

Stoke: Butland, Johnson, Shawcross, Wollscheid, Pieters, Whelan, Afellay, Joselu, Walters, Arnautovic, Krkic. Subs: Odemwingie, Wilson, van Ginkel, Adam, Diouf, Crouch, Haugaard. 

Norwich: Rudd, Martin, Bennett, Bassong, Brady, Howson, Tettey, O'Neil, Hoolahan, Odjidja-Ofoe, Mbokani. Subs: Ruddy, Wisdom, Jerome, Jarvis, Dorrans, Redmond, Olsson. 

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire)

Norwich are wearing that truly awful green and yellow hooped away kit, which will surely grace a 'worst Premier League kits' feature in the coming years.

Quick reminder of the line-ups? Go on then...

John Roder
Match of the Day commentator at Britannia Stadium

"The Canaries' chances of staying up received a huge boost with successive home victories over Aston Villa and Southampton.

"Stoke will hope to extend Norwich's poor recent away record and the trio of Marko Arnautovic, Bojan Krkic and Xherdan Shaqiri will make life very difficult for the visitors, who would surely be happy if it ends as a draw."

Both sets of players are stood silently in the tunnel, going through their final mental preparations. They receive the go-ahead from some clock-watching official to walk out, respective skippers Ryan Shawcross and Russell Martin bursting into noise as they shout encouragement to their troops.

Austria attacking midfielder Marko Arnautovic has caught the eye for Stoke this season, with the vultures apparently circling as the club continues to try to tie him down to a new deal.

Some reports have claimed Arnautovic is demanding £100,000-a-week wages, which have been laughed off by Potters boss Mark Hughes.

"Figures being bandied about are just supposition by people taking a stab in the dark who really have no real idea. Negotiations are ongoing and it is not affecting him adversely, so there is no issue with it."   

Image source, Getty Images

Roll up, roll up, come quickly and grab a Stoke bargain.

Nope, not you football managers, the likes of Marko Arnautovic, Bojan and Xherdan Shaqiri are not for sale....

As you might have gathered, the pessimist in me is not expecting a barrage of excitement tonight. This is where you come to the rescue.

I need you to provide some entertainment by expressing your thoughts about anything Stoke or Norwich-related that takes your fancy. Tweet #bbcfootball or text 81111.

And if you're at the game, feel free to send over a selfie of you wrapped up. It looks f-f-f-reezing at the Brit!! Definitely a two pairs of socks kind of night.

Even Norwich manager Alex Neil admits that this fixture hardly has many people licking their lips - but is not playing down its importance to his lowly side.

The Canaries, who are sixth from bottom, can put further daylight between themselves and the bottom three. Beating Stoke will move them eight points clear of third-bottom Newcastle.

"Stoke on a Wednesday night away from home - it's going to be one of those games where it's not going to be a glamorous game," says Neil. "But these are the types of games where three points are absolutely crucial, so we've got to attack it and approach it as such."

Stoke have been predictably unpredictable this season. The Potters have impressed the nation with some thrilling wins against Chelsea, Manchester City, Manchester United and Everton, only to implode against the likes of West Brom, Watford and Sunderland.

But maximum points tonight, coupled with defeats or draws for Liverpool and Watford, will move the Potters up to seventh.

"I don't think it's through complacency or underestimating the challenge of different teams," says Stoke gaffer Mark Hughes. 

"We know every Premier League game gives you problems and you have to have the answers."

It's a wet and wild night at the Britannia Stadium....cue the inevitable 'Can he do it on a cold night in Stoke' gags.

The plummeting temperatures aren't bothering Jon Walters. He's braving it in t-shirt and shorts, while the rest of his team-mates wrap up in woolly hats and thick gloves as they go through their warm-ups.