Good afternoon. It's less than an hour until the final games of the Premier League season get underway! Southampton and Stoke City are both assured of a mid-table finish, but three points today could help them move up a few places.

We're expecting to hear the team news from St Mary's shortly. One name all Stoke fans will be looking out for is Michael Owen. The former England international announces earlier in the year that he will retire at the end of the season, so this will be his last chance to play professional football.

Saints have just announced their squad for today's game, let's take a look at the team sheet...

Southampton starting XI: K Davis, Clyne, Fonte, Hooiveld, Shaw, Schneiderlin, Cork, S Davis Rodriguez, Lallana, Lambert

Substitutes: Gazzaniga, Yoshida, Ward-Prowse, Mayuka, Chambers, Isgrove, Puncheon

Stoke starting XI: Begovic, Shotton, Shawcross, Huth, Wilson, Walters, Nzonzi, Whitehead, Cameron, Etherington, Crouch

Substitutes: Sorensen, Wilkinson, Palacios, Cuvelier, Kightly, Jerome, Owen

It's an attacking starting lineup for the home side. They've made just the one change, with Kelvin Davis replacing Artur Boruc in goal. Jay Rodriguez, Adam Lallana and Rickie Lambert can all be dangerous in front of goal for Saints.

Meanwhile, Tony Pulis has named Owen on the bench for his final game before his retirement. It's also worth noting that neither Kenwyne Jones nor Glenn Whelan make the squad following the "pig-gate" incident at Stoke's training ground earlier this week.

It's not just the Potters that have had to deal with off the pitch matters in the run up to this game. Saints manager Mauricio Pochettino revealed earlier this week that would quit the club if chairman Nicola Cortese were to leave.

As it's the end of the season, let's take a quick look back at the highs and lows of the season for both clubs. It was a difficult start to the campaign for newly-promoted Southampton, losing their first four games back in the top flight. However, the team's fortunes looked to have changed at the turn of the year, with impressive draws against Arsenal and Chelsea, but it wasn't enough to prevent the sacking at Nigel Atkins. The Saints best result of the season was arguably against Manchester City, who were beaten 3-1 at St Mary's in February, while a 6-1 defeat to Arsenal back in August will be one to forget.

After a steady start to the season, Stoke really hit their stride in November with wins over QPR, Fulham and Newcastle, before stretching their 10-game unbeaten run into the festive period. However, the New Year saw Stoke plummet down the table, finding themselves dragged into the relegation battle, only securing their Premier League status in recent weeks. Stoke fans will look back fondly at their 3-1 win over Liverpool on Boxing Day, while heavy defeats to Manchester City and Chelsea early in January will remind the club how much work they have to do before next season.

Ahead of today's game, Stoke City manager Tony Pulis told the team's website: "It's been a surreal season in lots of respects because clubs have had good runs and you think they are going to have a good season and then they've fallen away badly. We're just hoping that we go to Southampton and get a result and keep ourselves in what would be a really good position to finish the Premier League season in."

Meanwhile, Southampton's Mauricio Pochettino told reporters: "It is very important that we finish this season with a win. We're in the Premier League next year and it is very important for us to win to be as high as possible in the table."

Earlier in the week, Pochettino joked that he might try to trip Michael Owen up in the tunnel at St Mary's as the former England player heads out for his final game before he retires. The 33-year-old posted on his Twitter account earlier today: "This is going to be a nightmare day! Had 3 texts so far this morning and I've emotionally gone already! Thousands of kind messages. Can't reply individually to them all but I'm reading them!!! #thankyou"

Recent history is on Southampton's side for today's clash. The Saints are unbeaten in their last seven meeting with Stoke, winning on six of those occasions. The Potters last victory against Southampton was in 1980!

On paper, this should be a fairly low-scoring encounter. Southampton have netted just twice in their last five games, while only QPR have scored less goals than Stoke in the top flight this season. Here's hoping they've been saving themselves for an epic clash today.

The players are in the tunnel ready to head out to a packed St Mary's Stadium. It doesn't look like Pochettino managed to trip Owen up though!

Don't forget, Sports Mole have live commentaries for all of today's Premier League games, so you can follow all the action on the final day of the season right here.

Stoke City get the game underway

Rickie Lambert looks to get an early shot away for Southampton, but the Southampton talisman is flagged offside. However, play is stopped while stewards remove a flare from the pitch.

Southampton have all the possession at the moment but they not able to push towards the Stoke goal. Shaw gets into a dangerous position on the wing, but he can't get the cross in.

BOOKING! Ryan Shawcross is the first name in the book after bringing down Jay Rodriguez on the edge of the box. Southampton have a free kick from a dangerous position.

Lallana delivers the ball but Shawcross is on hand to make the block and clear the danger. Stoke go on the counter and Crouch wins a free kick. Marc Wilson goes for goal but it was well off target.

CHANCE! Lallana looks for a way through on goal but Stoke have got numbers back and Robert Huth manages to block the effort as far as Lambert, but his finish goes wide. It's all Southampton at the moment.

CHANCE! It's Lambert for Southampton, but once again he fails to find the target with a header, after Clyne flicked the ball in. Southampton's pace is stretching Stoke pretty thin.

Stoke manage to go on the counter attack, and look to get the ball into the Southampton box, but the visitors lose the ball, Lallana takes it back up the other end. This has been a thoroughly entertaining opening spell.

Stoke win their first corner of the game. Whitehead delivers it into the six-yard box, but Schneiderlin is on hand to make the clearance. The visitors have started to look a little brighter in the last couple of minutes.

SUB! It's an early change for Stoke, as Tony Pulis sends Andy Wilkinson on for Marc Wilson. The defender took a knock earlier in the match, and unfortunately he can't continue.

SAVE! Lallana sends in a beautifully weighted cross looking for Rodriguez, but Begovic is alert to the danger and comes off his line to snatch the ball before Southampton get the shot away.

Southampton seem to have upped the pace again in the last couple of minutes and Stoke are all out of formation. The home side must really feel like they deserve a goal.

Stoke are getting a little messy as they struggle to contain the pace of their opponents. Nzonzi concedes a free kick around 35 yards out. Saints take it quickly and look to break into the box, but Huth boots the ball away to clear the danger.

Stoke are back on the attack and win a throw in. Shotton takes in and manages to launch it deep into the penalty area, but it comes straight back out off the head of Clyne.

Fonte sends Crouch tumbling, resulting in a free kick for the visitors. Robert Huth, who has been kept busy in the opening half hour at St Mary's, comes forward to take it, but Southampton are well organised at the back, and it's effortlessly cleared.

Crouch really seems to be taking a battering at the moment as Stoke try to get a foothold in this game. The striker finds himself on his back after coming together with Hooiveld. This time it's Whitehead who takes the free kick, but there's no way through for Stoke.

Etherington goes for a rather optimistic shot from range, but it was never threatening the Southampton goal, soaring well high of the cross bar. Still, it's been a much more positive spell from the away side.

This game has become quite a physical encounter as the half has gone on, as Jonathan Walters sends Jose Fonte tumbling. Fonte takes the free kick himself and goes for goal, but it doesn't threaten the target.

Both sides appear to have switched off a little in the last couple of minutes, with both teams turning to the long ball as they try to force a goal before half time. Southampton have had the better of the chances so far, and may feel hard done by if they do head in level at the break.

Southampton get their midfield working again and force a corner, Lallana curls it in, but Huth, who has been impressive at the back for Stoke so far today, heads the ball away, and Stoke are straight down the other end.

The visitors force a corner of their own but it's easily punched away by Davis, and that should be about it for the first half.

It is indeed goalless at the break. Stoke will surely be relieved to have survived an impressive opening spell from the home side.

Southampton were given far too much room in midfield, and were allowed to pass the ball around at will, seeing almost two thirds of the possession in the first half. However, they could not convert their dominance into a goal, a trait which has haunted them throughout the season. They will need to be more clinical in front of goal if they are to find a win today.

Stoke have struggled to keep the ball so far, but have been able to cause problems with the long ball into Peter Crouch. The striker has been the subject of some physical challenges too!

Discipline could be an issue for Stoke in second half, they already have Ryan Shawcross and Steven Nzonzi on a yellow card and have had to use one of their substitutes already.

With just 45 minutes of Premier League football remaining this season, why not cast your vote for Sport Mole's readers' team of the season.

The teams are heading back out for the second half. Can either side break the deadlock and finish their season on a high? It's almost time to find out.

Southampton get the second half underway.

Wow, what a start from Stoke! They're straight on the attack from the re-start and Geoff Cameron whips it towards Peter Crouch, who has an easy header from just close range.

SAVE! Steven Davis goes for the equaliser for Saints, but Begovic is ready for it, and makes a comfortable save. Since Crouch's goal, Stoke have hardly been out of their own half, Southampton are clearly keen to get back on level terms.

CHANCE! Lambert tries to curl the ball in from the edge of the box, but the ball is deflected wide for a corner, which is comfortably cleared by Stoke. The hosts are really going for it at the minute, they clearly feel aggrieved to be trailing.

Stoke push up the other end and Nzonzi looks to curl it in towards Walters, but he doesn't get a clean contact on the ball, and it goes straight to Hooiveld, and Southampton are back on the attack.

It's a brilliant equaliser for Southampton. Lallana pulls the ball back from out wide to Shaw, who was waiting on the edge of the area. He tries to drill in it past Begovic, but the Stoke shot stopper manages to parry it away, but only as far as Lambert, who just has to tap it in to level the scores.

SAVE! Stoke force a corner and almost restore their lead, as Etherington's delivery falls to Huth, but his shot is saved by Kelvin Davis.

For the first time in this game, Stoke are having a really strong attacking spell, they've set up camp in the final third but can't find a way to force themselves ahead again. However, Nzonzi loses the ball, and Southampton head back up the other end. The goals have really brought this game to life.

SUB! Pochettino is sending on some fresh legs in the form of Jason Puncheon, with Lallana making way.

Southampton win a corner and Davis takes it short. It's eventually curled in by Lambert, but Shawcross is back to make the clearance.

If either side is going to find a winner, it's looking like it will be the home side. It's still end-to-end action, but Southampton are just looking that little but more composed and comfortable on the ball. Stoke still seem to be relying on the long ball a little too much, it's all very predictable from Tony Pulis' side.

SUB! Matthew Etherington makes way for Cameron Jerome.

Southampton have controlled the midfield for most of the game and they continue to do so. Davis feeds it out wide to Lambert, who looks to get the cross in, but Stoke hold firm at the back.

SUB! Michael Owen comes on to a standing ovation from both sets of fans, with Walters going off.

SUB! The home side also make a change, as James Ward-Prowse comes on in place of Steven Davis, who has put in quite a shift for Southampton this afternoon.

CHANCE! Jay Rodriguez lines up a shot from the edge of the box, and really gets some power on the ball, but Begovic tracks it all the way and makes a comfortable save. The Stoke keeper has had yet another good game for the Potters.

Cameron Jerome's first contribution is to concede a free kick for a clumsy tackle on Luke Shaw, but Rodriguez's effort comes to nothing.

CHANCE! Ward-Prowse sends in a probing cross for the home side but it's cleared by Cameron. Shaw picks it up ouside the box and hits it on the half-volley, but he fails to find the target.

SUB! Southampton make their final change as Emmanuel Mayuka replaces Jack Cork.

Sadly, it's looking like there will be no dream ending for Michael Owen. The striker has been largely anonymous since coming on for Stoke as Southampton dominate the possession again.

SAVE! Begovic has had to work hard in this second spell and he's been largely brilliant for the visitors. This time it's Puncheon with the shot, but the Stoke keeper is equal to it.

Stoke try to apply some late pressure down the other end, but Puncheon is back to clear from a Jerome delivery. Both sides are running out of time if they're going to find a winner.

Mayuka is flagged in an offside position, and Begovic takes the free kick to clear it was his penalty area. The home side pick the ball up in midfield and it drops to Mayuka again, but his thunderous effort from the edge of the area is just wide.

There will be three minutes added on.

Crouch wins a free kick for Stoke around 30 yards out. This must be the last chance of the game.

Southampton get plenty of men back, and there's no way through for Stoke and Nzonzi's delivery is cleared by Lambert, ensuring it finishes honours even at St Mary's.

Michael Owen applauds the fans as he heads into the tunnel for the final time. The 33-year-old made 362 club appearances and was capped 89 times for England during his career.

Southampton's players are heading back out with the families to show their appreciation to the fans. The St Mary's crowd have remained loyal throughout the season, despite a rocky start to the campaign.

Today's result leaves the team's next to each other in the table, with Stoke securing 13th place, and Southampton sealing 14th.

Stoke's Kenwyne Jones has wished Michael Owen a happy retirement. The striker tweeted his teammate during the game: "Was a pleasure watching your career and also play with you for a season all the best in your retirement, God bless."

Well that's about it from the game at St Mary's and from the Premier League this season, but stick around for full reaction to all of today's matches, including the final games for Sir Alex Ferguson, Jamie Carragher and Newcastle's Steve Harper. Thanks for joining me this afternoon.