Match ends, Stoke City 2, Everton 0.
StokeStoke City2EvertonEverton0
- Moses scores his fourth goal of the season
- Stoke record league double against Everton
- Martinez's side without a win in five league games
- Toffees are six points above the relegation zone
Goals from Victor Moses and Mame Biram Diouf gave Stoke victory as Everton's poor Premier League form continued.
Moses powered a 32nd-minute header into the top corner from Phil Bardsley's excellent cross to open the scoring.
Diouf then prodded in a late second for Mark Hughes' side after Marko Arnautovic's shot hit the post.
Defeat leaves Everton with 28 points from 28 matches - their worst tally at this stage of a season in the Premier League era.
While their run to the last 16 of the Europa League has been impressive, they have been unable to transfer that form to the league - and they sit six points above the relegation zone, having collected just 11 points from their last 16 league matches.
| Former Everton winger Kevin Kilbane |
|---|
| "Everton will be safe, but is that good enough for Evertonians? The big distraction has been Europe, getting results, but that has the knock-on effect in the league. Recent league performances have been really poor, and Romelu Lukaku is out of form." |
Stoke, though, are on course for their highest Premier League finish. Hughes's side ended last season in ninth, on 50 points, and are currently eighth, on 42 points, with 10 games to play.
They headed into Wednesday's match in good form having lost just three of their last 13 Premier League matches and Peter Crouch was restored to the starting line-up after his record-equalling 46th headed Premier League goal secured a 1-0 victory against Hull on Saturday.
However, the former England striker found it difficult to get into the game as Everton enjoyed 64% possession early on and it was Darron Gibson - making his first start of the season as the Toffees coped with five games in a fortnight - who registered the first shot on target in a scrappy match.
Stoke's response was slow in coming but worth the wait as Moses, who had stung the hands of goalkeeper Tim Howard moments earlier, expertly headed home.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez had dismissed his side's poor return as a "negative statistic" prior to the match.
But after going behind at the Britannia, there was little evidence of any attacking verve as the first-half petered out with Aaron Lennon's low drive at Asmir Begovic.
| Former England midfielder Jermaine Jenas |
|---|
| "There are issues all over the pitch, which accumulate and result in some bad, bad performances. You can put this all at the door of Roberto Martinez but the players need to take some responsibility too." |
Toffees top scorer Romelu Lukaku took the fight to the hosts after the break, powering into the box and firing narrowly wide of the far post under pressure from defender Geoff Cameron.
With Martinez keen to maintain the impetus, he made a double change on the hour. Lennon and Gareth Barry were replaced by Leon Osman and Arouna Kone - and the latter almost made an immediate impact when he forced Begovic to save his curling effort.
Stoke held firm and extended their lead with six minutes left after Lukaku's poor first-touch lead to a counter attack. Arnautovic's shot beat Howard and rebounded off the post for the waiting Diouf to slot home.
Stoke manager Mark Hughes: "It's a fantastic header from Victor Moses and then we are in a position to soak up pressure and hit on the break. It was arguably Moses's best performance for Stoke City.
"It's a fantastic period at the moment, 42 points and we are eighth. We're very happy but we still have work to do.
"People were talking about Europe at the press conference but we have never talked about Europe this year, it was all about achieving a points total that was greater than last year.
"I'm not sure Europe is achievable but we will have a go."
Everton manager Roberto Martinez: "I did feel that as a team, we showed we had played a number of matches in a short period of time. The desire for the result was there but the legs couldn't get there.
"We have 10 games and we will treat them as finals. We are in this situation for many reasons but we are looking forward and up to get as high up in the table as we can.
"We are ready to face the challenge straight on. We haven't got the results that our performances deserve.
"For everyone at the club, it's the moment to get together and make sure we finish the season strongly. We need bit of luck and momentum but it's not been that type of season."
Line-ups
Stoke
Formation 4-2-3-1
- 1BegovicBooked at 89mins
- 2Bardsley
- 26WollscheidSubstituted forCameronat 17'minutes
- 12Wilson
- 3Pieters
- 15N'Zonzi
- 6Whelan
- 19WaltersBooked at 90mins
- 16AdamSubstituted forArnautovicat 74'minutes
- 13Moses
- 25CrouchSubstituted forDioufat 64'minutes
Substitutes
- 10Arnautovic
- 18Diouf
- 20Cameron
- 21Sidwell
- 22Butland
- 23Teixeira
- 34Shenton
Everton
Formation 4-3-3
- 24Howard
- 23Coleman
- 26Stones
- 6Jagielka
- 29Garbutt
- 16McCarthy
- 4Gibson
- 18BarryBooked at 14minsSubstituted forOsmanat 60'minutes
- 25LennonSubstituted forKonéat 60'minutes
- 10Lukaku
- 14NaismithBooked at 52minsSubstituted forMirallasat 83'minutes
Substitutes
- 1Robles
- 9Koné
- 11Mirallas
- 17Besic
- 20Barkley
- 21Osman
- 30Alcaraz
- Referee:
- Mark Clattenburg
- Attendance:
- 26,431
Match Stats
Home TeamStokeAway TeamEverton
- Possession
- Home44%
- Away56%
- Shots
- Home11
- Away10
- Shots on Target
- Home3
- Away5
- Corners
- Home5
- Away6
- Fouls
- Home11
- Away14
Live Text
Post update
Full Time
Second Half ends, Stoke City 2, Everton 0.
Post update
Foul by Arouna Koné (Everton).
Post update
Victor Moses (Stoke City) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Post update
Corner, Everton. Conceded by Asmir Begovic.
Post update
Attempt saved. Luke Garbutt (Everton) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top right corner.
Booking
Jonathan Walters (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Post update
James McCarthy (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Post update
Foul by Jonathan Walters (Stoke City).
Booking
Asmir Begovic (Stoke City) is shown the yellow card.
Post update
Attempt missed. Kevin Mirallas (Everton) right footed shot from outside the box is too high from a direct free kick.
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Leon Osman (Everton) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
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Foul by Marc Wilson (Stoke City).
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Attempt missed. Victor Moses (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right.
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Attempt blocked. Jonathan Walters (Stoke City) left footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Steven N'Zonzi.
Goal!
Goal! Stoke City 2, Everton 0. Mame Biram Diouf (Stoke City) right footed shot from the right side of the six yard box to the bottom right corner.
Post update
Marko Arnautovic (Stoke City) hits the left post with a right footed shot from the right side of the box. Assisted by Mame Biram Diouf.
Post update
Attempt blocked. Glenn Whelan (Stoke City) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
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Attempt blocked. Victor Moses (Stoke City) right footed shot from the left side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Jonathan Walters.
Substitution
Substitution, Everton. Kevin Mirallas replaces Steven Naismith.
