Stoke 2 Sunderland 0: Joe Allen inspires Potters to comfortable win in the battle of the bottom two
Former Liverpool man nets a first-half brace to lead Mark Hughes' men to a crucial three points at home to Black Cats
JOE ALLEN inspired Stoke to a simple victory in the battle of the bottom two against Sunderland.
Allen got the Potters off to a flier, netting in his third consecutive Premier League game, with a close-range header from Marko Arnautovic's pinpoint cross.
And the former Liverpool man doubled Stoke's lead on the stroke of half-time, rifling home from the edge of the area after a Xherdan Shaqiri corner fell at his feet.
Substitute Charlie Adam thought he'd put the Potters three-up, only to have his second-half strike ruled out, after it deflected off Austrian Arnautovic in an offside position.
STATS, FACTS, GOALS & LOLS
- JOE ALLEN is in the hottest scoring streak of his life. Four goals in three league games just can't be matched in his career.
- JORDAN PICKFORD proved his fitness after a thigh injury scare. He was Sunderland's only success and also kicked with his problem left leg.
- PATRICK VAN AANHOLT'S miserable season continues. He pulled a groin and now faces weeks on the sidelines.
- ENGLAND coach Sammy Lee took in the game to check on Sunderland keeper Jordan Pickford and Stoke skipper Ryan Shawcross.
- MARKO ARNAUTOVIC gave an elderly lady Stoke fan a cuddle after catching her in the face with a stray shot in the warm-up.
- THE Austrian was lucky to escape a red card. Booked for dissent, he handled the ball on the blind side of the officials.
BIG PICTURE
Next five fixtures
STOKE
Oct 22 - Hull (A) - PL
Oct 31 - Swansea (H) - PL
Nov 5 - West Ham (A) - PL
Nov 19 - Bournemouth (H) - PL
Nov 27 - Watford (A) - PL
SUNDERLAND
Oct 22 - West Ham (A) - PL
Oct 26 - Southampton (A) - LC
Oct 29 - Arsenal (H) - PL
Nov 5 - Bournemouth (A) - PL
Nov 19 - Hull (H) - PL
DREAM TEAM RATINGS
STOKE: Grant, Bardsley (Adam 65), Shawcross, Indi, Pieters, Cameron, Whelan, Shaqiri, Allen (Muniesa 75), Arnautovic, Bony (Walters 76).
Subs not used: Given, Diouf, Crouch, Bojan.
Goals: Allen (8, 45).
Booked: Arnautovic.
SUNDERLAND: Pickford, Manquillo, Djilobodji, O'Shea, Van Aanholt (Jones 40), McNair (Pienaar 55), Rodwell (Anichebe 81), Ndong, Watmore, Khazri, Defoe.
Subs not used: Mika, Love, Gooch, Asoro.
Booked: Jones
Ratings will appear here shortly...
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