Hello there and welcome to Sports Mole's live text coverage of this afternoon's Premier Leagu encounter as Stoke City play host to Liverpool. We should have some team news through for you shortly...

LIVERPOOL: Mignolet; Johnson, Cissokho, Skrtel, Toure; Lucas, Gerrard, Henderson, Sterling, Coutinho; Suarez

LIVERPOOL SUBS: Ward, Kelly, Ibe, Aspas, Moses, Sturridge, Alberto

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has made a total of six changes to his starting lineup following last weekend's win over Oldham Athletic in the FA Cup third round. Simon Mignolet returns in goal, while Glen Johnson, Martin Skrtel, Lucas Leiva and Philippe Coutinho are also given the nod. Meanwhile, Daniel Sturridge is named among the substitutes after recovering from an ankle injury.

STOKE: Butland; Cameron, Shawcross, Wilson, Pieters; Walters, Nzonzi, Adam, Whelan, Arnautovic; Crouch

STOKE SUBS: Sorensen, Muniesa, Pennant, Palacios, Etherington, Shotton, Ireland

Stoke manager Mark Hughes enforced two changes after the team's victory against Leicester City in the FA Cup last weekend as Jonathan Walters and Peter Crouch both return. On-loan Oussama Assaidi is unable to feature for the Potters against his parent club.

UPDATE: There's currently one other match being played in the Premier League today and it's going well for Manchester City so far as they lead Newcastle United 1-0 at St James' Park. Around 30 minutes to go in that one. We'll bring you the full-time result as soon as it comes through.

Liverpool come into this match knowing that they will climb back into the Champions League places with a win. The Reds are currently in sixth place in the table, two points adrift of fourth-placed Everton. Meanwhile, Stoke will muscle their way into the top half of the standings if they come away with the spoils.

SUAR THING? Luis Suarez’s 1st #BPL goal for @LFC came vs. Stoke but he hasn't scored in their next 3 #BPL meetings pic.twitter.com/2w70AHNGUx — Premier League (@premierleague) January 12, 2014

Despite Luis Suarez not scoring during his last three games against Stoke, you can bet your bottom dollar that the Potters will be doing all that they can to quell the Uruguayan. Suarez has scored a whopping 20 goals in 17 matches this season. Is there a better player in the Premier League? You'd be hard pressed to find one at the moment.

Stoke haven't exactly set the Premier League alight with their exploits this season, but there will be two players eager to impress for the hosts today. Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam both had spells with Liverpool and will be keen to show their former employers what they can do.

HEAD TO HEAD: As expected, Liverpool have the better record when it comes to past meetings between these sides. The Merseysiders have 62 wins to their name compared to Stoke's 29. Meanwhile, there have been a total of 34 draws.

Liverpool earned a narrow 1-0 victory when the teams met at Anfield on the opening day of the season, but Stoke came out on top in this fixture during the last campaign as they saw off the Reds 3-1 on Boxing Day.

RECENT FORM:

STOKE: LWLLDW
LIVERPOOL: WWLLWW

UPDATE: There's around 10 minutes of normal time left to play at St James' Park and Manchester City still lead Newcastle 1-0. Expect plenty of fallout from that game because it has been a very feisty encounter indeed on Tyneside.

PREDICTION TIME: So, how do you see this one going? We here at Sports Mole can see it being a tightly-contested game at the Britannia Stadium, but we believe that Liverpool will come away with the spoils thanks to a narrow 2-1 victory.

The referee for today's match will be Anthony Taylor. Not long to go until kickoff, around 15 minutes in fact.

The Potters have left the field and have entered the dressing room for their final pre-match team talk. We're 15 minutes from kick-off #SCFC — Stoke City FC (@stokecity) January 12, 2014

UPDATE: The full-time whistle has gone at St James' Park and it's Manchester City who have the points thanks to a 2-0 triumph over Newcastle United. Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo scored the goals, but there was plenty of controversy throughout.

The players are just starting to emerge in the tunnel at the Britannia Stadium as we edge closer to kick off. Not long to go now.

KICKOFF:  KICKOFF! The teams are out, the pre-match handshakes have been done, and it will be Stoke to get us underway. Here we go!

It's been a good start for Stoke as they force two early corners, but Liverpool are able to see off the danger. The home fans are in fine voice as you would expect.

GOAL!  GOAL! STOKE 0-1 LIVERPOOL (CISSOKHO)

Liverpool take the lead thanks to a huge slice of luck as Aly Cissokho's shot takes a huge deflection off Shawcross before finding the net. The defender's effort from 25 yards looked to be going well off target, but it took a big nick off Shawcross to beat Butland in the Stoke goal.

Liverpool suddenly look in control following their goal. It had been a decent opening from the hosts, but this game of football can be a cruel one. Still, the Potters have plenty of time to put things right.

ASSIST Liverpool's opener is confirmed as a Shawcross own goal, Cissokho is credited with the assist #STKLIV

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 12, 2014

Credit to Stoke, they've fought back well since going behind. The hosts are showing plenty of attacking intent going forward as Liverpool struggle to get out of their own half. However, there hasn't been that killer touch in the final third so far for the Potters.

Forgetting the Liverpool goal, Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be pleased with what he's seen from his players. They're going at the visitors in a direct way, bombarding them with crosses and floated balls into the penalty area.

A bit of a worry there for Stoke as Walters receives treatment after falling awkwardly, but it looks like he will be fine to continue.

The hosts continue to look the better side, though there isn't too much in the way of intensity in this game. They win another corner off Toure, but nothing comes of it as the Ivoria recovers to clear.

CHANCE! A quick counter-attack from Liverpool ends with Coutinho blazing the ball narrowly over the crossbar from the edge of the box. An inch or two lower and the away side could easily have doubled their advantage against the run of play.

Good work from Adam sees Stoke earn themselves another corner, but the Potters fail to make anything of it yet again. They've certainly had their chances, only for a lack of quality in the final third to let them down. Still, it's all encouraging for the hosts.

This is a great spell from Stoke. They're really cranking up the pressure on Liverpool at the moment. Meanwhile, the visitors are having to settle for the occasional counter-attack.

Liverpool win a free kick right on the edge of the box that Suarez and Gerrard stand over. It's Suarez who eventually takes it, but the striker can only drag his effort wide of goal. He wants a corner. Referee Anthony Taylor is having none of it.

Liverpool extend their lead through Luis Suarez, but the Uruguayan was gifted the goal thanks to some comical defending from Stoke. Skrtel's long ball upfield was made a right mess of by Wilson, Shawcross and Butland before the Uruguayan was able to slide the ball into an empty net on the angle.

21 - Luis Suarez has now scored 21 Premier League goals in only 16 appearances this season. Danger.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 12, 2014

It hasn't been the kind of performance that we've come to expect from Liverpool this season, but the visitors have looked typically dangerous when breaking upfield. Only now are they starting to see more of the ball and keep possession better.

Stoke have one back through former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch! Arnautovic floated a decent cross into the heart of the Liverpool defence, and there was Crouch to glance a brilliant header past the helpless Mignolet. Game on!

That goal has changed the mood inside the Britannia Stadium, that's for sure. The Stoke fans and players now have a bit more belief after giving themselves a real footing in this game.

Amazing scenes as Stoke level through another former Liverpool player, Charlie Adam! The midfielder received the ball on the edge of the box before unleashing a ferocious drive past Mignolet. What a hit that was from the Scot!

There will be four minutes of added time at the end of the first half...

Well, what a first half that was! Liverpool took advantage of some poor Stoke defending to go 2-0 up as a Ryan Shawcross own goal and Luis Suarez's strike looked to have put the visitors in a commanding position. However, Liverpool old boys Peter Crouch and Charlie Adam both found the net for Stoke to make it all square at the break.

Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be delighted with how his players fought back, but they will need to defend better in the second half if they want to keep Liverpool at bay. There was little that Shawcross could do for the opening goal, though they absolutely gifted Suarez his goal.

PHOTO Suarez's goal was his 59th in the #BPL, his 1st also came against Stoke in February 2011 #STKLIV pic.twitter.com/BfhQCNQCpQ

— Premier League (@premierleague) January 12, 2014

UPDATE: Today's other match in the Premier League saw Manchester City go to the top of the table thanks to a 2-0 win at Newcastle United. Edin Dzeko and Alvaro Negredo scored the goals during an incident-packed encounter at St James' Park.

As it stands, Liverpool will be climbing up to fifth place in the Premier League table while Stoke will remain in 12th position.

SECOND HALF UNDERWAY! The players are back out and it will be Liverpool to kick us off for the second half. Will it be as entertaining as the opening 45 minutes?

Stoke have started the second half very positively as the look to take the lead for the first time in this match. They've already pumped a few balls into the Liverpool box, but the visitors have managed to hold on.

Liverpool lead again as Steven Gerrard sends Butland the wrong way from the spot, but that was a very controversial decision from Anthony Taylor to give the kick in the first place. Sterling made a darting run into the box before going down very easily under a challenge from Wilson. Still, it was given and Liverpool are in front through their captain.

119 - Liverpool have been awarded more penalties than any other team in Premier League history. Experienced. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 12, 2014

The momentum has swung back and forth this afternoon, but it's now Liverpool who are on top after going back in front. The Reds continue to look very dangerous on the break, while Stoke are struggling to create any meaningful chances in the final third.

YELLOW CARD: The first booking of the match goes to Stoke's Ryan Shawcross for chopping down Suarez around the centre circle.

An hour played and there's very little to separate the teams at the moment. Stoke are continuing to show plenty of fight as they look to get themselves back into this match. Meanwhile, it looks like Daniel Sturridge could be introduced to the action for Liverpool soon.

SUBSTITUTION: Here comes Daniel Sturridge now as he replaces Philippe Coutinho for Liverpool. The striker has been out of action since the end of November with an ankle injury.

CHANCE! Almost a fourth goal for Liverpool as Sterling tries his luck from the edge of the box with a firth-time effort, but Butland gets down low to keep the shot out.

CHANCE! Now Stoke get an opportunity as Nzonzi turns in the box before seeing his drive blocked by the Liverpool defence. You get the feeling that this match is going to get quite frantic as we approach the final whistle.

That should be that for Liverpool as Luis Suarez grabs his second goal of the game to make it 4-2 to the visitors. Sturridge led a quick counter-attack for the Reds before playing in Suarez. The Uruguayan then curled the ball around Butland and into the far corner. A wonderful finish.

A half-chance falls the way of Stoke as Arnautovic is given plenty of space down the left side. His cross is directed towards Crouch, but the Liverpool defence do enough to clear the danger. A goal for the Potters in the next few minutes would set up quite the finish.

Just under 15 minutes left to play at the Britannia Stadium and time is running out for Stoke. They're still giving it a good go, though Liverpool are looking fairly comfortable at the moment.

PHOTO: Two more today and now 22 for the season for the unstoppable @luis16suarez! pic.twitter.com/gRIenXAEBc — Liverpool FC (@LFC) January 12, 2014

SUBSTITUTION: Stoke make a change now as Stephen Ireland is brought on in place of Steven Nzonzi.

SAVE! That's a decent stop from Mignolet to keep Liverpool's two-goal lead intact. Walters rose highest to head the ball towards goal, but the goalkeeper was there to push the effort away. Can Stoke mount a late comeback as they did in the first half?

Now Jonathan Walters has a goal to give Stoke a glimmer of hope! Arnautovic squared the ball to his teammate, who had all the time in the world inside the penalty area before slotting past Mignolet. Can they now go on to find an equaliser?

3 - Each of Jonathan Walters' last three Premier League home goals have come against Liverpool. Thorn. — OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) January 12, 2014

That is surely game over now as Daniel Sturridge marks his return from injury with a goal! The striker got on the end of a Suarez cross before firing in at the second attempt after Butland did well to keep his initial effort out. What a match this has been!

OFF THE POST! Stoke almost score a fourth goal of the afternoon as Crouch sees his header come back off the woodwork.

Four minutes of added time have been shown by the fourth official...

The full-time whistle goes and Liverpool have the win thanks to a thrilling 5-3 triumph over Stoke City. That was a thoroughly bizarre game of football, but a brilliant one nonetheless.

That's all from me for now but don't forget that you can keep up to date with all the reaction from tonight's match right here on Sports Mole. Thanks for your company and we hope to see you again soon. Goodbye!