Fleetwood Town face Stoke City on Tuesday 10 August at bet365 Stadium in the first round of the Carabao Cup, and we have all you need to know ahead of the 7:45pm kick-off in our match preview.
Fixture: Stoke City v Fleetwood Town
Competition: Carabao Cup First Round
Date: Tuesday 10 August 2021
Kick-off: 19:45
Venue: bet365 Stadium, Stanley Matthews Way, Stoke-On-Trent, ST4 4EG
FLEETWOOD TOWN
Simon Grayson’s side started out their Sky Bet League One campaign at Highbury on Saturday and were unlucky to lose on the day, after dominating the play for most of the game.
The Cods started out the game strong creating multiple gilt-edged chances, forcing saved out of the Portsmouth goalkeeper but it wasn’t meant to be as the only goal of the game came from a driven shot by Lee Brown.
During pre-season, the Cods went unbeaten after winning four and drawing one of their five games. The latest of those was against Leeds United, again at home, which finished in a 2-1 victory to Town.
The Whites’ captain Charlie Cresswell opened the scoring in the first half through a header, but a second-half spree of chances not only brought Fleetwood back into the game but also put them ahead with goals coming from Shayden Morris and Ged Garner.
STOKE CITY
Michael O’Neill’s team recorded their first opening day victory in 12 years in their Sky Bet Championship fixture against Reading on Saturday.
In an eventful game at the bet365 Stadium, they had to take the lead on three occasions to secure all three points. Nick Powell opened the scoring early on, only to have John Swift cancel it out 60 seconds late. An instant reaction happened as Jacob Brown put Stoke back into the lead seconds later to cap off a dramatic three-minute spell.
Defender Liam Moore drew the game level on the hour mark for the second time in the game, which led to a tense last 30 minutes in Staffordshire, but Sam Surridge accepted the challenge as he put one past the Reading goalkeeper with five to go – earning the win for his side.
In the game before, The Potters finished off their pre-season schedule with a 1-1 draw against Premier League side Wolves, where Raul Jimenez found the back of the net, cancelling out Danny Batth opener.
PRE-MATCH QUOTES: SIMON GRAYSON
Head Coach Simon Grayson spoke to the press after his side’s opening league fixture against Portsmouth at Highbury on Saturday and previewed Town’s cup clash against Stoke City. Here is what the gaffer had to say in his interview:
“You always go into these cup games unaware of what they are going to be. Are they going to make many changes as the Championship side? We are going there as underdogs and will do everything in our power to try and secure a place in the next round of the competition if possible.
“We had a really strong bench available against Portsmouth, with the likes of Dan Batty available for selection now. You saw Callum Camps, Ryan Edmondson, Anthony Pilkington, Darnell Johnson, and Harrison Holgate around him so there are plenty of options for us to utilise come Tuesday night.”
FAMILIAR FACE: HARRY SOUTTAR
Someone who all the Cod Army will recognise from the Stoke set up in defender Harry Souttar, who spent 18-months on loan with The Cods and was part of the 2019/20 League One play-off side.
A fans’ favourite when at Highbury, the 22-year-old was ever-present, having made 52 appearances across all competitions during his time on the Fylde Coast.
During the 2019/20 season, he found the back of the net three times, netting on the opening day of the season, and then a further two times against Doncaster Rovers and Portsmouth respectively.
GET YOUR ONWARD CARD TODAY!
The best way to watch Fleetwood Town this year is by purchasing the Onward Card. For adults, you will pay as little as £170 for 23 Sky Bet League One matches, with many benefits included in the deal. Click HERE for more details.