Stoke City welcome Charlton Athletic in the Championship on Saturday 5 September 2026 in a clash of contrasting starts. The Addicks sit top with maximum points from three games, while the Potters are rooted to the bottom without a point after three defeats.
Charlton Form Guide nCharlton maintained their100% start with a1-0 home win over Preston North End on29 August. Karlan Grant's left-footed strike – his first goal for the club since January2019 – settled the contest. The Addicks have now won nine points from nine, a feat OptaJoe noted makes them the third Football League side since2004-05 to be the sole team with a perfect three-game record.n
Stoke's Struggle for Points nMark Robins' side lost all three Championship fixtures, leaving them23rd in the early table. Their most recent league outing was a 3-1 defeat at Southampton, compounding a poor start. The Potters are yet to keep a clean sheet and have conceded nine goals.n
Team News and Injury Latest nAaron Cresswell remains sidelined with a knee injury, forcing Stoke to dive into the market. Sources told Football Insider that left-back Luca Bombino is set to complete a move from San Diego after terms were agreed. Bombino,24, registered four goal contributions in31 MLS games and could make his debut on Saturday.nCharlton have their own fitness concern after striker Miles Leaburn limped off against Preston. Manager Nathan Jones will assess the forward, with Micah Mbick – who replaced Leaburn late on – ready to step in.n## Key Battle: Karlan Grant's Form nGrant's winner against Preston ended a long drought for the forward and lifted his confidence. Stoke's reshuffled backline, still adjusting to Cresswell's absence and likely to integrate Bombino quickly, will need to track Grant's runs from wide areas carefully. If Leaburn is absent, Grant may carry even more of the scoring burden.nCharlton's perfect start will be tested for the first time away from The Valley, while Stoke desperately need a result to climb off the foot of the table before the international break.
