That goal has really lifted Stoke, they are having more of the ball now but Birmingham still playing some nice flowing football.

Angela Smith
BBC Radio Stoke

Great start for the Potters. They can wear those red socks every week now!

Stoke should not lose their concentration now, Birmingham will have to come out and play.

Birmingham try to break away quickly from a Potters corner, but get held up, that goal slightly against the run of play, surprised most within St. Andrew's.

First yellow card of this game.

Bobby Madley was meant to be fourth official today but at late notice has ended up replacing Gavin Ward, he goes to his pocket early and it is the man who came into start, Koji Miyoshi with the caution.

The Blues on top still, and win the first corner of the match.

Siriki Dembele and Jay Stansfield again looking lively, linking up well together.

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Southampton have closed the gap on the top-two, temporarily at least, with a thumping 5-0 win over Russell Martin’s former side Swansea.

They climbed to third above Leeds who were beaten late on at Preston in the early game.

Fifth-placed West Brom held on to beat Norwich while Sunderland edged Hull by the same 1-0 scoreline to leapfrog the Tigers into the final play-off place.

Bristol City’s eye-catching 4-1 win at Watford saw them climb to eighth with the Hornets, Cardiff, Norwich and Middlesbrough all losing ground.

Great feet from Birmingham's Jay Stansfield who looks nearly as pumped up as he was against his old foe Plymouth Argyle last Saturday.

His shot is blocked, but the first half-chance goes to the home side.

Siriki Dembele tries to get it forward, but solid defending by Steven Schumacher's side who are fairly busy in their own half so far.

Two changes from Saturday's thriller at Home Park for Birmingham; Emmanuel Longelo and Koji Miyoshi start and Keshi Anderson returns to the bench.

Stoke's Steven Schumacher makes three changes; Jordan Thompson, Bae Jun-Ho and Junior Tchamadeu come into their starting XI.

Late referee replacement news too: Bobby Madley replacing Gavin Ward.

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Image source, .

Steven Schumacher captained Wayne Rooney in Everton youth football over 20 years ago, they are in opposing dugouts with their respective new clubs today.

Schumacher should have been managing his Argyle troops against Rooney last Saturday, but gets the chance just a few days later with his new side Stoke City.

Wayne Rooney's side played out that six-goal thriller at Home Park last time out. Stoke spent 90 minutes without scoring or conceding in the quietest match of last Championship round.

Wayne Rooney’s only previous league match as manager on Boxing Day was against Preston as Derby manager in 2020, losing 1-0. As a player, his last Premier League appearance on December 26th was against Stoke in 2015, coming on as a sub in a 2-0 defeat for Man Utd.

Birmingham City have lost just two of their last 18 league matches against Stoke City and are unbeaten in their last six.

Stoke are winless in their last 14 away league matches against Birmingham since a 1-0 win in 1988. The Potters have scored just one goal in their last nine visits to St Andrew’s.

Birmingham have won just one of their last seven Boxing Day league matches but it was a 2-0 home win over Stoke in 2018.

Stoke City have lost just one of their last seven Boxing Day league games, but it was a 2-0 defeat at Birmingham City in 2018.

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Rotherham’s third win of the season, against Middlesbrough, their first under Leam Richardson, was not enough to haul them off the bottom but has taken them level on points with Sheffield Wednesday, 2-0 losers at Coventry.

QPR are four points ahead of the pair after the 2-0 derby defeat at Millwall in the early kick-off while Stoke are four clear of the drop-zone ahead of their game with Birmingham and seeking to keep pace with Huddersfield and Millwall who picked up useful victories this afternoon to give them a cushion over the bottom three.

Leaders Stockport mounted a brilliant fightback to come from two-down to draw 2-2 away at Barrow, which sees the Bluebirds drop to fourth place.

Ben Whitfield fired Barrow in front, turning home Kian Spence's volley before roles reversed and Spence netted a second from Whitfield's pass.

However, Stockport pulled one back through Nick Powell in first-half stoppage time before Akil Wright equalised nine minutes into the second half as the spoils were shared.

Wrexham moved above Mansfield and up to second with a 1-0 victory over Swindon Town at the County Ground thanks to James McClean's first-half strike.

Fellow promoted side Notts County secured a 3-0 win over Doncaster Rovers which sees them go fifth, while Walsall returned to winning ways with a 2-0 win over Crewe courtesy of Freddie Draper's 10th of the season and Oisin McEntee.

Meanwhile at the bottom, Troy Deeney's Forest Green Rovers endured a disastrous second half as Newport County came from 2-0 down to win 4-2, with everything changing after Callum Jones was sent off in the 51st minute.

Sutton United took advantage of Forest Green's collapse to leapfrog them off the bottom of the table with a 1-0 win at Wimbledon.

Tranmere Rovers secured an emphatic 5-1 victory away at Salford, with five different Rovers players finding the back of the net.

Bristol Rovers netted a 94th-minute winner through Luke Thomas to beat league leaders Portsmouth - their first league home win since 28 October - but Peterborough United could not take advantage as they conceded late on to draw 2-2 at home to Reading.

Stevenage returned to winning ways with a 3-0 win over Northampton, whilst Derby County leapt up to third place with a 1-0 victory over lowly Wigan.

Oxford United came from behind to a dramatic 2-1 win over rivals Cambridge United, Ciaron Brown netted a 95th-minute winner to complete the fightback for Oxford.

Exeter City secured their first league win since 16 September with a slender 1-0 victory over struggling Wycombe Wanderers, Sonny Cox with the all important goal.

Managerless Burton Albion mounted a shock against Blackpool with a narrow 1-0 win at the Pirelli Stadium and Cheltenham Town secured a second consecutive win with a 2-0 victory over Shrewsbury Town.

Bolton Wanderers scored an 89th-minute winner away at 10-man Lincoln and it ended honours even in the match between the two bottom sides Fleetwood Town and Carlisle United.

Image source, Rex Features

• Southampton go third as they cruise to a thumping 5-0 win over managerless Swansea and the Saints are now unbeaten in 16.
• Fifth-placed West Brom beat 10-man Norwich City 1-0 and Bristol City record a third successive win with a thumping 4-1 success at Watford and move up to seventh.
• Huddersfield claim a first win in six to move five points clear of the relegation zone thanks to a comfortable 3-0 victory over Blackburn.
• Jack Clarke bags late on to give Sunderland all three points at Hull City and move them above the Tigers and into sixth.
• Bottom side Rotherham beat Middlesbrough 1-0 for just their third win of the season.
• Improving Coventry beat struggling Sheffield Wednesday 2-0 and Cardiff and Plymouth share the points in a 2-2 draw.

Darren Moore continues his 100% managerial record in matches played on Boxing Day.

More importantly, it'a three points that moves his side five points clear of the bottom three.

A sending off apiece after the final whistle as tempers flare.

Liam Kitching is shown a red for Cov and Bambo Diaby gets one for the Owls.

Three goals in two games for Tatsuhiro Sakamoto and seven points in three matches for Coventry now.

Wednesday are eight points adrift of safety.

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Brandon Thomas-Asante's close-range finish decided this one but after the Baggies spurned a glut of chances the visitors almost stole a point through Ui-jo Hwang's header which was superbly saved by Alex Palmer.

The Canaries lose for a fifth straight Boxing Day and played more than hour with 10-men after Borja Sainz was sent off for two cautions.