Despite having a slow start to the Championship season, Stoke City defeated head coach Alex Neil’s previous club, Sunderland, on Saturday afternoon to win at home for the first time since August 19.
The Potters began the day in 21st place, two points ahead of Queens Park Rangers, who currently hold the final spot in the relegation zone. However, the Staffordshire team and their supporters will finally have cause for celebration after defeating Tony Mowbray’s high-flying Black Cats.
It is no secret that City has struggled with consistency since their Premier League relegation, and as a result, they have virtually never been able to live up to the expectation that they will be among the contenders for a play-off spot when the time comes.
How did Stoke City fare in their matchup with Sunderland?
Stoke was the team that started the game on the front foot and took the lead after just seven minutes thanks to some nice play making from Wouter Burger and Mehdi Leris. Ryan Mmae then slotted the ball to Anthony Patterson’s right side despite Sunderland’s claims that a hand was used.
But moments later, Jack Clarke had the freedom of the Bet365 Stadium with the easiest of finishes after Jobe Bellingham’s opening effort, exposing the same defensive shortcomings that Stoke have displayed for the most of the season (registering just one clean sheet).
Despite the loss, Neil’s team kept creating the better opportunities, and they were rewarded shortly afterward when Luke McNally headed home a Daniel Johnson corner to score his first goal at the Championship level.
One virtue is patience.
Neil has hailed the devoted Stoke supporters for their patience as the team looks to turn a corner after the international break. Stoke has had an unimpressive start to the season despite a summer that saw a significant turnover of players, with 18 new faces joining the team.
Stoke gained ground on Sunderland after their win, and based on their performance during the week, they might go up as high as 14th.
But their next matchup, on Wednesday at the Bet365 Stadium, features one of the toughest tests of the Championship, as Daniel Farke brings his winning Leeds team to town.
Leave a Reply