Stoke City v Middlesbrough, 04 March 2017

Score2-0 to Stoke City
RefereeCraig Pawson
CompetitionPremier League
Venuebet365 Stadium
Attendance27,644
Kick-off: 3.00pm Middlesbrough had now won on only one of their last 14 visits to Stoke City.

Goals:

Marko Arnautović 29 G
Marko Arnautović 42 G

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Lee Grant
Defender Erik Pieters
Defender/Centre back Ryan Shawcross
Defender/Full back Glen Johnson
Defender/Midfielder Geoff Cameron
Defender/Midfielder Bruno Martins Indi
Midfielder Joe Allen
Midfielder Ramadan Sobhi
Midfielder Glenn Whelan
Forward Peter Crouch

Starting lineup:

Victor Valdés Goalkeeper
Ben Gibson Defender
Daniel Ayala Defender/Centre back
Fábio Da Silva Defender/Midfielder
George Friend Defender/Midfielder
Adam Clayton Midfielder
Marten de Roon Midfielder
Grant Leadbitter Midfielder
Gastón Ramirez Midfielder
Adama Traoré Midfielder/Forward
Rudy Gestede Forward

Substitutions:

Mame Biram Diouf for Marko Arnautović 65
Saido Berahino for Peter Crouch 79
Ibrahim Afellay for Bruno Martins Indi 87

Substitutions:

Bernardo for Daniel Ayala 8
Cristhian Stuani for Gastón Ramirez 46
Adlène Guédioura for Grant Leadbitter 75

Cards:

Ryan Shawcross 21 Y

Cards:

George Friend 45 Y
Marten de Roon 78 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Shay Given
Defender Phil Bardsley
Midfielder Charlie Adam
Midfielder Ibrahim Afellay
Midfielder/Forward Jon Walters
Forward Saido Berahino

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Bernardo
Midfielder Adam Forshaw
Midfielder Adlène Guédioura
Forward Álvaro Negredo

Comments:

League position: 9th Stoke City had now lost only one of their last 12 home games in the Premier League. The Potters were now unbeaten in their last eight home games in the Premier League games; their longest such run since going 17 games without defeat between February and December in 2012. Marko Arnautovic became the third player to reach the 20 goal mark in the Premier League for City after Jon Walters (41) and Peter Crouch (37). He also joined Paul Scharner as being the leading Austrian goalscorer in the Premier League (21 goals each). Manager Mark Hughes said: "It was important to bounce back. We didn't do ourselves any favours at Tottenham last week. We had something to prove."

Comments:

League position: 18th As his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 16 March 2017, this was manager Aitor Karanka's last game in charge. Middlesbrough had now won only one of their last 27 away games in the Premier League and dropped into the bottom three for the first time in this season. Boro were now are the lowest scorers in the Premier League in this season (19 goals) and failed to score in the most games (13 out of 27 played). In each of the last four Premier League seasons, the lowest scoring team were relegated. The last team to score the fewest Premier League goals in a season an avoid relegation was Stoke City in 2011-12 (14th position). Manager Aitor Karanka said: "We have to keep believing in this group of players. Until the last day we will keep fighting. We are in the bottom three and we need to work harder to leave those positions." George Friend was booked in the second minute of added time in the first-half.

Goals:

Marko Arnautović 29 G
Marko Arnautović 42 G

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper Lee Grant
Defender Erik Pieters
Defender/Centre back Ryan Shawcross
Defender/Full back Glen Johnson
Defender/Midfielder Geoff Cameron
Defender/Midfielder Bruno Martins Indi
Midfielder Joe Allen
Midfielder Ramadan Sobhi
Midfielder Glenn Whelan
Forward Peter Crouch

Substitutions:

Mame Biram Diouf for Marko Arnautović 65
Saido Berahino for Peter Crouch 79
Ibrahim Afellay for Bruno Martins Indi 87

Cards:

Ryan Shawcross 21 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Shay Given
Defender Phil Bardsley
Midfielder Charlie Adam
Midfielder Ibrahim Afellay
Midfielder/Forward Jon Walters
Forward Saido Berahino

Comments:

League position: 9th Stoke City had now lost only one of their last 12 home games in the Premier League. The Potters were now unbeaten in their last eight home games in the Premier League games; their longest such run since going 17 games without defeat between February and December in 2012. Marko Arnautovic became the third player to reach the 20 goal mark in the Premier League for City after Jon Walters (41) and Peter Crouch (37). He also joined Paul Scharner as being the leading Austrian goalscorer in the Premier League (21 goals each). Manager Mark Hughes said: "It was important to bounce back. We didn't do ourselves any favours at Tottenham last week. We had something to prove."

Goals:

Starting lineup:

Victor Valdés Goalkeeper
Ben Gibson Defender
Daniel Ayala Defender/Centre back
Fábio Da Silva Defender/Midfielder
George Friend Defender/Midfielder
Adam Clayton Midfielder
Marten de Roon Midfielder
Grant Leadbitter Midfielder
Gastón Ramirez Midfielder
Adama Traoré Midfielder/Forward
Rudy Gestede Forward

Substitutions:

Bernardo for Daniel Ayala 8
Cristhian Stuani for Gastón Ramirez 46
Adlène Guédioura for Grant Leadbitter 75

Cards:

George Friend 45 Y
Marten de Roon 78 Y

On the bench:

Goalkeeper Brad Guzan
Defender Bernardo
Midfielder Adam Forshaw
Midfielder Adlène Guédioura
Forward Álvaro Negredo

Comments:

League position: 18th As his contract was terminated by mutual consent on 16 March 2017, this was manager Aitor Karanka's last game in charge. Middlesbrough had now won only one of their last 27 away games in the Premier League and dropped into the bottom three for the first time in this season. Boro were now are the lowest scorers in the Premier League in this season (19 goals) and failed to score in the most games (13 out of 27 played). In each of the last four Premier League seasons, the lowest scoring team were relegated. The last team to score the fewest Premier League goals in a season an avoid relegation was Stoke City in 2011-12 (14th position). Manager Aitor Karanka said: "We have to keep believing in this group of players. Until the last day we will keep fighting. We are in the bottom three and we need to work harder to leave those positions." George Friend was booked in the second minute of added time in the first-half.