Stoke City

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Stoke City completed the signing of Manchester United midfielder Ruben Curley before the transfer window closed on Monday night.

The 19-year-old has signed a two-and-a-half year contract and will initially join up with the Potters Under-21 squad.

Curley spent 10 years at Old Trafford and was their scholar of the year last season but did not make a first-team appearance during his time at the club.

He played for United's Under-21s in a 3-2 win at Barnsley in the EFL Trophy earlier this season and featured in seven PL2 games.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins says his side still have "lots of work to do" despite the euphoria of earning his first Championship win with the Potters.

"It was a great result in the end," Robins told BBC Radio Stoke. "This result gives us a bit of belief and showed what we can do. But I'm still looking for more.

"There is still loads to do and so much to get into but we are getting there.

"We're in a situation where we've not won enough games so it's a bit of a confidence thing. But, if you put that sort of effort in, the quality will come through. We have young players trying to find their way through but they've got the skill and got the ability. I see it every day in training."

Robins' men had to come from behind after conceding inside six minutes. But two of his Premier League loan men got the goals that turned it round.

Ipswich Town's Ali Al-Hamadi, signed by Robins last week, and the man who then replaced him, Brighton's Andrew Moran, signed two managers ago by Steven Schumacher, got the goals that turned it round.

"We didn't get going until they scored, which was too late," said Robins. "But we passed the ball pretty well and defended pretty well when we needed to.

"This result gives us a bit of belief and showed what we can do. It has allowed us to take the handbrake off. But I'm delighted with three points that should give us a boost and a bit of belief."

Stoke are not back in league action until the trip to face Bristol City on Wednesday week but, before that, they host Cardiff City in the FA Cup fourth round next Saturday.

Hull City welcome Stoke to the MKM on Saturday (15:00 GMT) for a game with potentially big implications in the bottom half of the Championship.

The two sides are level on points, two points clear of the drop-zone, with the Tigers one place ahead of the 20th-placed Potters by virtue of their goal difference being two goals better.

• Hull City have won two of their past three league games against Stoke City (L1), as many victories as across their prior 15 meetings with the Potters combined between 2010 and 2023 (D3 L10).

• Stoke City have won each of their past three away league games against Hull City, keeping a clean sheet in each of those victories.

• Hull have won just one of their past 11 home league games (D4 L6), failing to keep a clean sheet in any of those matches during that time.

• Stoke have failed to win any of their past seven away league games (D3 L4), last enduring a longer run on the road without winning during an eight-match streak between January and April 2022.

• Matt Crooks has scored five goals in seven career EFL appearances against Stoke City – his joint-most against any side during his career.

Bristol City have rejected a bid from Stoke City for Republic of Ireland midfielder Mark Sykes, 27, after the Potters failed to meet the Robins' valuation. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Wednesday's gossip column here.

Stoke City have made a bid for Bristol City midfielder Mark Sykes. The Republic of Ireland international has six months left on his contract but Stoke are keen to sign the 27-year-old in the January transfer window. (Sky Sports), external

The Potters are also hopeful of signing Jeffrey Schlupp from Crystal Palace and Birmingham City defender Krystian Bielik before the transfer window closes. (TeamTalk), external

Stoke, Blackburn Rovers and Preston North End will have to wait until later this week to find out whether Liverpool will let 19-year-old forward Jayden Danns leave on loan. (The Athletic - subscription required), external

Want more transfer news and rumours from the EFL? Read Tuesday's gossip column here.

Image source, Stoke City FC

Stoke City might still be labouring a little at the wrong end of the Championship table, but the Potters' women's team are at least enjoying a little success.

The women, who play in English football's third tier, won 3-0 in their National League Cup semi-final at Home Park, Plymouth.

And midfielder Molly Holder would love to see a few more to watch them play Nottingham Forest at the Bescot Stadium, Walsall on 23 March.

And no! The Potters' men's team don't have a game that day!

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins was critical of his team for allowing Portsmouth to "bully" them in their 3-1 defeat at Fratton Park on Wednesday, but also accused Pompey of using the "dark arts".

We asked you for your views on Robins' post-match comments and here is a selection of your responses:

Peter: Rubbish, I was at the game. It was a good physical game of football from both sides. No dark arts, just one team wanting it much more than the other.

Ronan: He's not wrong and it has been a weak point of Stoke's game all season, but it was a total failure by the referee to control the game in my opinion.

The standard of refereeing in this season's Championship has been diabolical - I dread to count the number of points we have lost to objectively incorrect refereeing decisions.

I confess I watch the Prem with envy every time the referee runs over to that monitor…

Darren: Robins need to worry about his own team being pretty poor, and how he is going to stop their slide down the table, rather than making excuses for the defeat. Pompey had 9 fouls against them, Stoke 12... Hmmm.

Adrian: Sounds like sour grapes to me. I never saw anything other than a normal game of modern football from both sides.

Expect better from Robins. Maybe the pressure of the position he finds himself in now is dawning on him.

Image source, Rex Features

Martin: There's nothing dark arts or bullying about it. It's full blooded commitment and hard work. Sour grapes. If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Julian: Robins has got it so wrong. Pompey just ran and won most 50-50s. Stoke were outfought rather than outplayed!

Nick: Robins' comments are pretty laughable really. Pompey "comprehensively outplayed a poor Stoke side for the vast majority of the game".

I'm a Pompey fan, but the quote is from a couple of disappointed Stoke fans I met in the pub after!

Stoke City welcome a buoyant Oxford United as they look to move away from the Championship relegation battle on Saturday (12:30 GMT).

The Potters have not won a league game under new boss Mark Robins since his appointment at the start of the year (D2 L1).

While the U's are unbeaten in the Championship under boss Gary Rowett (W5 D2), lifting them nine points above the bottom three.

• Stoke have won one of their past seven league games against Oxford (W1 D3 L3), a 4-0 home win in September 2000 in the third tier.

• After winning the reverse fixture 1-0 in September, Oxford will be looking to produce a first league double over Stoke since the 1989-90 season.

• Stoke have lost two of their past 11 home league games (W3 D6 L2) and will be looking to keep three clean sheets in successive outings at the Bet365 Stadium in the same season for the first time since February 2023.

• Oxford have won one of their 13 away league games this season (W1 D4 L8), with only Plymouth (0) winning fewer on the road in the Championship this term.

• Ruben Rodrigues has scored four of Oxford's last seven away goals in the Championship. His four goals on the road are twice as many as any other Oxford player.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins was very critical of both his own team and Portsmouth after their 3-1 defeat at Fratton Park on Wednesday night.

The 55-year-old said the Potters were "bullied" by a Pompey side who rolled out "all the dark arts" on their way to victory.

"I'm really disappointed, they set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that," Robins said.

"We allowed them to bully us all night. I also didn't think for one second the referee was going to give a penalty [for the first goal] and then he did. It is what it is.

"Let's have it right, they've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, kicked us, and we've had nothing.

"It's all the dark arts, they've got experienced players in the other side of the game and it's old school football."

Robins' comments throw up a number of questions and we want to know what you think of his claims:

Were Stoke bullied by Portsmouth?

Did the decisions go against the Potters?

Do you agree with Robins that Pompey deployed the 'dark arts'?

Let us know your thoughts here.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins spoke to BBC Sport after their 3-1 defeat at Portsmouth.

"I'm really disappointed, they set the tone right from the start and we didn't live with that.

"We allowed them to bully us all night, I also didn't think for one second the referee was going to give a penalty and then he did, it is what it is.

"Let's have it right they've thrown themselves to the floor, they've fouled us, kicked us and we've had nothing.

"It's all the dark arts, they've got experienced players in the other side of the game and it's old school football."

Sunderland and QPR are interested in Celtic winger Luis Palma, who is also drawing the eye of Stoke City and Swansea City. (Football Insider, external)

Millwall defender Dan McNamara is a subject of interest for Stoke, with the 26-year-old out of favour at the Den. (The72, external)

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Wednesday's gossip here.

Image source, Rex Features

Stoke City boss Mark Robins has warned that Portsmouth will be a tough nut to crack on their own patch ahead of Wednesday's trip to Fratton Park.

The Potters are unbeaten in five games since the sacking of Narcis Pelach, having beaten Sunderland under caretaker boss Ryan Shawcross, who also oversaw a 0-0 draw at Burnley, before the two league draws under Robins either side of the FA Cup extra-time win in the rematch with Sunderland.

But Pompey, just two points behind the Potters in 22nd, are unbeaten at home since late October, having won five and drawn one of their past six games at Fratton Park, including a 4-1 come-from-behind win over Robins' old club Coventry City and a 4-0 victory over Swansea City.

"They're a bit up and down away," said Robins. "But they've done really well at home. They've got some good, honest players on the back of a good promotion.

"And it's that time of year when teams down there start to pick up points. They had another good win on Saturday (at home to Middlesbrough) and they'll be in a positive mood."

Robins is again without Ben Pearson, who "might be ready for a game with the Under-21s next week", and Ben Gibson, who is "hopefully not too far away" from returning to action.

Midfielder Lynden Gooch "will be able to train soon" and front man Million Manhoef is "making steady progress" after seven games out, but there is no word yet on the severity of teenager Sol Sidibe's back injury.

At least the disappointment of losing on-loan Tom Cannon was countered by teenager Nathan Lowe scoring at West Bromwich Albion on Saturday on his return from Walsall.

But Robins knows he needs to strengthen before deadline day on Monday, 3 February.

"Out of possession, the players have been really good," he said. "If you've got that, you've got a platform to build from. But we need a squad.

"That's something we're trying to put right as quickly as we can. We're trying to do one or two bits of business to alleviate some areas we need to address."

Portsmouth continued their impressive home form by beating Middlesbrough 2-1 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run at Fratton Park to six games (W5 D1).

Pompey have gained 19 points from 12 home games (W5 D4 L3) this season, compared to seven points from 14 away matches.

Stoke City are unbeaten in their past four Championship matches (W1 D3), following a 1-1 draw at West Bromwich Albion at the weekend, but are still searching for a first league win under new boss Mark Robins (P2 D2).

• Portsmouth have lost each of their past three league games against Stoke, including a 6-1 defeat in the reverse fixture in October.

• Stoke have won two of their past 12 away league games against Portsmouth (W2 D4 L6), but could win on successive trips there in the EFL for the first time, following a 2-1 win in the Premier League in February 2010.

• Portsmouth have lost five of their seven midweek league games this season (W1 D1 L5), with Pompey failing to score in four of those matches.

• Stoke have won three of their past four Championship games against newly promoted sides (W3 L1).

• Robins is yet to win as a visiting manager against Portsmouth in the EFL (D1 L2), drawing 3-3 on his last trip with Coventry City in League One in August 2019.

Stoke City, Coventry City, QPR and Millwall are battling for the signature of Crystal Palace's Jeffrey Schlupp. (Football Insider), external

Sheffield United have agreed a £10m deal with Leicester City to sign striker Tom Cannon after he was recalled from a loan spell with Stoke City. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer news from the EFL? Take a look at Tuesday's gossip column here.