Aston Villa are finally able to get forward and Aly Cissokho produces an excellent cross across the face of goal from the left but none of his team-mates are close to getting on the end of it. 

The Villa forward line needs to gamble there and get in the danger area.

First corner of the game for Stoke but Geoff Cameron's effort goes way over. It seemed to hit him rather than the other way round.

A loose pass from Geoff Cameron allows Mark Bunn to gather the ball and gives Villa a brief breather but here come Stoke again... Marko Arnautovic with a cross from the left and Joleon Lescott is busy again as he heads clear.

The door is creaking...

More pressure from the Potters - a Marko Arnautovic cross is just cut out by a stretching Joleon Lescott after excellent approach work from Stoke record signing Giannelli Imbula.

Stoke have found their rhythm now - a tremendous long ball forward from Xherdan Shaqiri almost finds Jonathan Walters but the striker can't bring it under control before Villa clear.

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Stoke's Xherdan Shaqiri with a free-kick from the thick end of 30 yards but he curls it wide of Mark Bunn's left-hand post. 

Not one that had Bunn worried.

Aston Villa's season of calamity nearly gets worse as Jores Okore almost turns a Stoke cross into his own net. Keeper Mark Bunn scrambles back and does really well to keep it out.

Grimaces of pain from Pieters but he is able to continue. Aston Villa have had most of the ball but without producing anything productive.

Not much happening in the early stages. Stoke defender Erik Pieters is hurt after a challenge with Leandro Bacuna and is receiving treatment.

Stoke get us under way...

The teams are out on the pitch at the Britannia Stadium. Kick-off not far away...

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Aston Villa midfielder Ashley Westwood says it has been tough to watch Match of the Day this season because of his team's desperate form.

He told the Daily Telegraph:, external “My son Frankie is football mad, he always wants to watch Match of the Day and it’s difficult to watch it with him sometimes. 

"We’ve been called the worst team in Premier League history and, of course, that does hurt. The facts are we’re not, we’ve got enough points to show that we’re not the worst, but it’s still not nice to hear.

“To lose any game is bad enough but to lose 6-0 against Liverpool and in front of the cameras was very hurtful. We’d said before the Liverpool game that if we won that game we’d be five points adrift, which is nothing. To lose by that scoreline was horrible.”

Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert

"I find Stoke a very difficult team to predict, unless they are playing Aston Villa - you have got to predict everybody to beat them."

Prediction: 2-0

Full Lawro's predictions here.

Don't forget you can also follow the FA People's Cup in our bespoke live text commentary today as well.

Here's a taster of the action - check out the slow motion!

It's certainly not all about Aston Villa today as Stoke look to strengthen their position in the top 10 of the Premier League.

The Potters beat Bournemouth 3-1 in the last fixture after three successive 3-0 league defeats.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes said: "We feel we are on track. We looked at where we were last year and we have exactly the same amount of points after 26 games.

"We're very close to our targets. Our league position isn't a concern and we feel that we've got opportunities coming up to add to what we've done.

"It would be good to get back-to-back wins... then we can take that momentum into the final 10 games of the season."

Image source, Getty Images

Alan Green
BBC Match of the Day commentator

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"Those Aston Villa fans infused with eternal optimism will point to Leicester City's similar predicament last season when the current LEADERS of the Premier League had only 19 points from 29 games: Villa have 16 from 26. So, if Leicester can do it...

"Sadly, I think they're dreaming. That appalling 6-0 home defeat by Liverpool may turn out to be the lowest point so far for Remi Garde's side but all reason says that relegation will follow.

"And though Stoke have had a sticky patch of their own, only seven points from the last seven games, I'm convinced the upward trend under Mark Hughes will resume and they'll end up comfortably in the top 10. I expect a home win."

Aston Villa fans hoping to hear something positive from their manager, Remi Garde, were disappointed this week, as the Frenchman said he is not seeing "commitment from all the players every day in training sessions".

The former Lyon boss, appointed at the start of November, was unable to make any signings during the January transfer window.

He added: "If I had the choice of other players I would like to select, I would like to - but I don't have the possibility.

"Sometimes it's about fighting and commitment. It's the first thing professional players should have on the pitch. How can you be confident if you're not fighting?"

Image source, Getty Images

Straight on with the team news...

Stoke make three changes from the 3-1 win over Bournemouth last time out with Marko Arnautovic back after recovering from illness, while Phil Bardsley and Geoff Cameron also come in. Dropping out are Glen Johnson, Marc Muniesa and Mame Biram Diouf.

Stoke XI: Butland, Bardsley, Wollscheid, Cameron, Pieters, Whelan, Imbula, Shaqiri, Afellay, Arnautovic, Walters. 

Image source, BBC Sport_Opta

Despite the 6-0 thrashing by Liverpool in their previous fixture, Aston Villa boss Remi Garde makes just one change as captain Micah Richards drops to the bench with Alan Hutton replacing him at right-back.

Aston Villa XI: Bunn, Hutton, Okore, Lescott, Cissokho, Bacuna, Gana, Westwood, Veretout, Gil, Agbonlahor.

Image source, BBC Sport_Opta

Eight points from safety and 12 games to go; three league wins all season; four goals conceded within 13 minutes in the previous match; winless away from home since the opening day. 

There's not a lot to feel optimistic about if you're an Aston Villa player or supporter. 

Can this afternoon's game at Stoke be the start of a miraculous comeback? Or will it just be more of the same?

Good afternoon and welcome to our live text coverage of the Premier League match at the Britannia Stadium.

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