Mark Lawrenson
BBC football expert on Football Focus

Things are pretty rosy for West Ham at the moment after their point at Chelsea gave them a bit of breathing space above the bottom three.

The Potters need to start winning games but they just don't have enough firepower in their side and they are not good enough defensively to buy themselves time to nick a goal.

Prediction: 2-0

Lawro's full predictions v comedian Ellis James

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West Ham boss David Moyes speaking to Sky Sports: "If you gave me this position when I took over I'd have said 'thank you very much'. We can take a big step tonight if we win."

Nutterpotter: We should have got rid of Hughes last summer.

Brian: Loved Sparky as a player, but should have gone earlier.

Stoke boss Paul Lambert was understandably down in the dumps following their defeat against Spurs.

He thinks the Potters need to win at least three of their next five games.

West Ham ended an eight-game winless streak against Stoke by winning the reverse fixture 3-0 in December.

The Hammers are aiming to complete their first league double over Stoke since the Potters' first season in the Premier League in 2008-09.

The Potters are unbeaten in their last five league visits to face West Ham, although four of those matches were draws.

West Ham manager David Moyes: "It was a great point at Chelsea. It's not enough yet but the last two games have given us a lift.

"The ideal situation is to go unbeaten between now and the end of the season, there is no reason why we can't do that."

Image source, Getty Images

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Noel: It may not be popular, but what do West Brom and Stoke have in common?...They both gave Tony Pulis the bullet because (presumably!) they wanted to play "sexy football"...So fans, which do you want, Premiership dross or Championship flair??

Kevin Kilbane
Former Republic of Ireland winger on Football Focus

Stoke have really struggled with getting goals. It's hard for them because they're not playing badly but everything crumbles when they concede the first goal. If they do get it front though, they're then looking to contain rather than push for more. Somehow they have to change that mindset if they're going to get out of trouble.

It's not all rosy over in London either.

If West Ham lose today it will be their 1,000th defeat in the top flight - making them the 16th club to reach this landmark.

It would also mean a nervous ending to the season as they are still just six points off the relegation zone - and that gap could be shortened to four should Stoke win.

So it's all to play for!

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Stoke manager Paul Lambert: "We have to come away (from West Ham) with something without a doubt. The intent is to go and win and we will do everything we can to get three points.

"If we get a win it drags a few back in and that's the most important thing.

"You need a little bit of luck at certain times but the performances have been incredibly high and the way we have played I couldn't ask for any more from the team."

Image source, Getty Images

Greg: Complacency from Stoke board has got us into this mess. Gambled on Hughes one season too long. Signs have been there for 18-20months... ultimately come under pressure to improve, so replace the likes of Jon Walters with the Jesé Rodriguez's of this world and the club loses everything that got it where it was.

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West Ham forward Javier Hernandez came off the bench to score an equaliser at Chelsea last weekend - the fourth time he has scored as a sub against the Blues.

The 1-1 draw boosted West Ham's Premier League survival prospects and damaged Chelsea's slim hopes of finishing in the top four at the same time.

No reward for Hernandez though. He's on the bench again this evening.

Image source, Reuters

Rob Page: Appointing an appalling manager wasn't a good start.

Paul Metcalfe: Mark Hughes being in charge!

Chris Sutton
Ex-Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 live

A must win game for Stoke. Time is running out. They had the initial bounce under Paul Lambert, and the last few games they have been unlucky, have played on the front foot.

But this is a must win. Lose and that is Stoke doomed.

It wasn't to be for Stoke after they produced another battling performance only to suffer defeat against Tottenham in their last match.

They worked hard at Arsenal before conceding three late goals the week before too but there was no luck for Paul Lambert's side.

"Two weeks in a row we come away with nothing," Lambert told BBC Sport.

"The effort and commitment I can not ask more of, we are just not getting the breaks. If we played like that at the beginning of season we would not be in position we are in."

But the defeat meant Stoke have already matched their club record of 18 losses in a single Premier League season and now they have five matches to prevent setting a new one.

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Gom: Their transfer policy. £18m each on wimmer and imbula and £15m on goalless berahino. That's £50m that could have gone on good players. Appointing Lambert an awful decision too.

Andy: Mark Hughes...simple as that. And now Southampton are getting the same treatment.

City still have plenty to play for.

They are now chasing the record points tally of 95, which was set by Chelsea in 2004-05 and they are already level with Arsenal's 2001-02 title-winning side, who finished on 87 points.

The Blues could also beat their own tally of 89, set in 2011-12.

Pep Guardiola's side could also become the first team to win the English top flight with 100 points or more.

You can read more about the stats behind Manchester City's title-winning season in a piece I slogged hard on yesterday...

Image source, BBC Sport

Premier League - Manchester City

Bundesliga - Bayern Munich

Ligue 1 - Paris St-Germain

La Liga - Barcelona?

Serie A - Juventus?

It's pretty much wrapped up at the top across Europe but Stoke could keep the battle at the bottom open with victory tonight.