Some Grand National news just in: Liverpool assistant manager Zeljko Buvac won the club sweepstake on Saturday. Buvac, having picked out Rule The World, will be feeling just as gleeful as I did when I got Monty's Pass in the Bolton Evening News' office National sweepstake in 2003. £20, I won. Soon spent it, though.

Jurgen Klopp picked out 100-1 shot Vics Canvas, which came third.

Image source, Getty Images

Little time to draw breath, as Stoke playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri aims a bouncing volley towards goal from 25 yards. Simon Mignolet scrambles across goal, as the effort travels just wide.

Jurgen Klopp makes his second change: Adam Lallana is on for Roberto Firmino, who has looked lively. I think there's a element of wanting to keep players fresh for Thursday's Europa League return against Borussia Dortmund in that substitution.

Image source, Reuters

More slick Liverpool attacking play. Daniel Sturridge's exquisite backheel finds Alberto Moreno marauding down the left. The cross finds Divock Origi eight yards out - but the Belgium international glances wide. His head drops to meet his hands.

Liverpool may be vulnerable at the back, but they are sharp going forward. Some great interplay involving Milner, Sturridge and Clyne sees the ball worked out to Roberto Firmino on the right, and his cross-shot towards the near post needs turning behind by Jakob Haugaard.

Loveoffootball: Klopp steadily building his team creeping under the radar. Next season Liverpool will be a force with a few additions.

BBC Merseyside Sport
Ex-Liverpool midfielder David Thompson at Anfield

"Fourteen appearances and seven goals is decent return for Divock Origi's first season at the club.

"I'm not saying he couldn't miss, but it would have been difficult.

"He showed good movement to get free and put away the header with some power. The manager has showed confidence in him and that is evident in the way that Origi is playing".

Not that Liverpool look any more assured when defending set-pieces. Xherdan Shaqiri lofts one towards the penalty spot, Geoff Cameron gets free to loop a header goalwards, and Simon Mignolet arches backwards to flip the ball over.

Stoke's back line is now wobbling like a poorly assembled wardrobe in a stiff breeze. Erik Pieters dillies and dallies in the left-back position, and Roberto Firmino smells opportunity. The full-back's attempted clearance rebounds off Firmino and spins just over.

Image source, Reuters

A change for Liverpool at the break. Divock Origi is on for Sheyi Ojo - we're told it's a tactical switch. A little bit surprised that Ojo has been taken off; he had a good first half.

Image source, Reuters

Image source, #bbcfootball

The 'duels won' stat is an interesting one there, I'd suggest. Certainly, Liverpool's defence is looking vulnerable in the air against Peter Crouch.

BBC Merseyside Sport
Ex-Liverpool midfielder David Thompson at Anfield

"You can see from the way that the players are shooting from distance that the wind must be quite strong down there.

"I think that Peter Crouch was nearly blown over."

Image source, AFP/GETTY

Anfield holds its breath right at the end of the half as Sheyi Ojo jinks his way across the face of the penalty area, looking for the space to shoot. Phil Bardsley sticks with him though, and the gap isn't quite there. An entertaining finish to a bright 45 minutes, in which Ojo has done his prospects no harm at all.

One minute of stoppage time to add on. We're playing it now.

Stoke paid a club-record £18m to buy Giannelli Imbula from Porto at the end of the last transfer window, and the midfielder gives us a glimpse as to why. He plays himself into space just outside the penalty area with a burst of speed and thumps in a left-foot shot that Simon Mignolet doesn't even attempt to hold, punching the ball clear instead.

Image source, PA

James Hanson: I know Vardy and Kane are flavour of the month, but you can't deny Daniel Sturridge's underlying class.

...Stoke captain Ryan Shawcross goes close with a great chance to equalise, getting in at the near post to flick Xherdan Shaqiri's free-kick across goal and wide.

Three goals in a little over half-an-hour then. Everton manager Roberto Martinez, whose team visit Anfield in the league a week on Wednesday, is watching from the main stand, and would no doubt approve of the positive attacking play on show. Mind you, the defending from both sides has been a bit Evertonesque too. And as if to prove the point...