Image source, Rex Features

A first scrappy spell for a long time breaks out with some niggly fouls here and there.

Maybe assistant coach Rory Delap can come off the Stoke bench in the second half to spice things up with a long throw or two and revisit his playing days?

Junior Stanislas with a free-kick this time at the other end.

His right-foot skimming effort has Josef Bursik scrambling across to palm it behind for a corner.

Bournemouth don't make the most of it though.

Lots and lots of the ball for Stoke without much penetration until they force a free-kick on the edge of the penalty box as Diego Rico fouls Tommy Smith.

Jordan Thompson swings it in and finds the head of Nick Powell, but he nods it well wide of goal.

Should've done better probably.

Steven Fletcher has to receive some treatment after being fouled by Lewis Cook and that's his evening over already.

Jacob Brown, who started on Tuesday in the draw against Nottingham Forest, comes on in his place.

Bournemouth nearly take the lead out of nowhere.

Dominic Solanke skims the top of the crossbar as a long through ball from Lewis Cook picks him out on the break and as he lifts it over the oncoming Josef Bursik, it looks set to drop in the net.

Not quite, but the closest Bournemouth have come to doing so in this match.

Image source, Rex Features

Good spell of Stoke pressure continues with a free-kick just outside the penalty box from the right.

Jordan Thompson has Asmir Begovic at full stretch as his left-foot curler skims the side-netting to the right of the goal.

Getting closer.

Joe Allen's turn to go close for Stoke this time.

He gets set free inside the Bournemouth box for a chance to shoot and his low effort is blocked by the legs of Asmir Begovic.

Great chance spurned by Stoke.

Steven Fletcher really should hit the target after Nick Powell's nod down sets him clear to shoot from 25 yards out.

Nothing at all for Asmir Begovic to worry about there as it goes harmlessly high and wide.

Asmir Begovic back on familiar territory this evening as Bournemouth's keeper having spent a considerable spell of his earlier career with Stoke.

He holds on to an effort from Steven Fletcher from the left from a narrow angle.

Bournemouth forced into their first real bit of defensive work.

Stoke looking to send balls in from the right through Tommy Smith, but with little success.

Bournemouth not the most convincing at clearing it either and eventually Jordan Thompson fires one well over the crossbar.

Image source, Rex Features

Close for Bournemouth.

Sam Surridge one of two changes to their starting line-up tonight finds the ball breaking to him in space around the six-yard box.

Diego Rico's low ball in from the left, but Surridge's left-foot effort on the turn skews well wide. Didn't make the best contact.

Fairly quiet start to this, but Bournemouth showing a bit more intent coming forward so far.

Image source, Rex Features

Despite the wintry pre-match conditions, the pitch looks pretty decent for this one.

They also had to contend with a local power cut in the hour before kick-off, but thankfully the lights are all on for this one in its early stages.

John Brooks is the man in charge this evening.

He presides over both sets of players taking the knee before we get started.

Stoke in red and white stripes, Bournemouth in their light blue away strip.

Almost time to get going.

Both sides are out on the pitch and exchanging the fist bumps now as is the custom.

Looks very cold out there!

So this match pretty much completes the busy festive season schedule of EFL football.

What's been your highlight of the last few days with all the matches crammed in?

Who's caught your eye as potential title or promotion winners later on this year?

Let us know using #bbcefl

BBC local radio

Sadly EFL rights restrictions prevent us from live streaming radio commentary of this evening's match here on the BBC Sport website and app.

But, if you're in the transmission area of either BBC Radio Stoke or BBC Radio Solent, you can find coverage of this fixture on both their FM and DAB platforms.

Image source, Getty Images

Stoke City come into this evening's fixture unbeaten in their past five Championship matches, but with just the one win in six as draws have become an all-too frequent occurrence.

Bournemouth were beaten for the first time in five matches at Brentford on Wednesday in a match where they could have quite easily have come away with all three points themselves.

That result also ended their five-match unbeaten away record, something they'll be desperate to rectify as soon as possible.

These two are due to meet again in the league in the final match of the regular season. Will they still both be in with a shot at a Premier League return come early May?

Image source, .

Chances for both of these sides then to move closer to the top two.

Bournemouth slipped off the pace as they were beaten by fellow promotion contenders Brentford on Wednesday.

But a return to winning ways for Jason Tindall's side tonight would take them back above the Bees on goal difference to third.

Stoke have drawn more than they've won of late to slip off the pace of the top six but they can also climb back into the play-off picture with a win.

Image source, Getty Images

Michael O'Neill brings John Mikel Obi and Steven Fletcher into the Stoke City starting line-up from the side which faced Nottingham Forest on Tuesday.

Jacob Brown and Sam Vokes both drop to the bench.

Bournemouth switch to a back three and make two changes from the defeat by Brentford on Tuesday.

Phillip Billing and David Brooks miss out for wing-back Diego Rico and striker Sam Surridge.

Brooks drops to the bench while Junior Stanislas shifts to a more midfield role.

Stoke City XI: Bursik; Collins, Soutar, Chester (capt), Smith, Mikel Thompson, Allen, McClean, Powell, Fletcher.

Subs: Nna Noukeu, Batth, Shawcross, Clucas, Cousins, Oakley-Boothe, Tymon, Brown, Vokes.

Bournemouth XI: Begovic; S Cook (capt), Simpson, Kelly, Smith, Rico, L Cook, Lerma, Stanislas, Surridge, Solanke.

Subs: Travers, Zemura, Ofoborh, Kilkenny, Gosling, Brooks, Riquelme, Anthony, King.