Stoke star Charlie Adam says sorry after red-card lunge on Wayne Rooney leaves Potters in deeper trouble
Midfielder was sent off for studs-up challenge in the snow as Everton snatch win - but Stoke boss Paul Lambert was more upset by linesman failing to give offside for Cenk Tosun goal
CHARLIE ADAM said sorry after his first-half red card cost Stoke dear.
Adam was sent off on the half-hour for a studs-up lunge on Everton star Wayne Rooney at the blizzard-hit Bet365 Stadium.
“It will hurt him and it hurts us, but we need to stop making it so difficult for ourselves. Everyone stepped up but it just wasn’t enough.”
Stoke boss Paul Lambert was more annoyed about the officials missing an offside in the build-up to the first of Cenk Tosun’s two goals for the visitors, saying: “I can understand why referee Martin Atkinson has given the red card.
“I think if you go in with your studs in the modern-day game and you mistime a challenge, you put yourself in a position to be red-carded. It was a massive, massive blow.
“But their first goal is offside. The linesman has to see that across the line. How he’s missed that, I don’t know.”
The Potters then crashed 2-1 to leave them still deep in the relegation mire.
Keeper Jack Butland revealed: “Charlie apologised.
HEAVEN CENK Stoke 1 Everton 2: Cenk Tosun double earns dramatic win for Toffees after 10-man Potters fight back
Lambert refused to blame the snow, adding: “The way the weather was, the ball becomes more slippy, the pitch becomes more slippy, and that can have an effect.
“But the weather is part of the game. There’s no excuse, that’s just the British weather.”
Stoke substitute Eric Choupo-Moting equalised but £27million January signing Tosun netted his fourth goal in three games to clinch the points.
That ended in style Everton’s run of five Premier League away defeats — but Butland admitted he should have saved the first strike.
He said: “I’m disappointed. I got a good hand on it and felt I should have turned it round the post.
“I hold my hands up. With the work we put in, it’s very disappointing to concede the goals we did.”
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The victory warmed the cockles of Toffees boss Sam Allardyce after a freezing afternoon with buckets of snow and gusting winds.
He said: “Under the circumstances we are extremely pleased. It looked a bit iffy for us again but Cenk popped up with a super goal and that’s why we bought him.
“It puts us on the 40-point mark. Even though mathematically we are not safe, I don’t think anyone can catch us.”