Stoke City vs Swansea City. Premier League.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance28,261.
Saturday 2 December 2017 19:32, UK
Stoke produced a quickfire first-half comeback to beat Swansea 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday, sending the Swans to the bottom of the table.
The Potters had fallen behind to a third-minute goal from their former loanee striker Wilfried Bony - who scored Swansea's first Premier League goal since October 28 - but came storming back later in the half.
Xherdan Shaqiri slotted past Lukasz Fabianski in the 36th minute before Mame Biram Diouf added the second four minutes later to round off the Stoke comeback and ultimately seal victory.
It breaks a run of four winless league games for Stoke, who jump up to 13th spot, while Swansea stretch their streak to seven Premier League matches without a victory and slip to the bottom of the table after Crystal Palace's 0-0 draw with West Brom.
Swansea took the lead with just three minutes on the clock as Bony came back to haunt his former loan side. Martin Olsson was set away by the striker down the left flank before clipping a cross into the box. Despite pressure from Ryan Shawcross, Bony got a foot to the ball to slot it home past the returning Jack Butland.
There had been few clear-cut chances, with Peter Crouch's attempt to catch Fabianski off his line the best effort in the 34th minute, but Stoke did equalise two minutes later.
Joe Allen latched onto a loose ball after Leroy Fer was dispossessed, before sliding in Shaqiri who toe poked the ball into the back of the net.
Four minutes later and Stoke had completed their turnaround. Shawcross floated a ball forward that Crouch into the path of Diouf in the middle of the box. He took one touch to round the oncoming Kyle Naughton before sweeping home.
The second half did not start well for Stoke as Bruno Martins Indi picked up a groin injury just minutes after the restart. The Netherlands international required five minutes of treatment before being stretchered off and replaced by Kevin Wimmer.
Stoke could have added a third in the 67th minute, but Shaqiri's cross was headed past the face of goal by Diouf before, at the other end, Sam Clucas failed to turn home a fizzing Tammy Abraham delivery.
But Swansea's best chance for an equaliser came in the 79th minute, although not from their own player. Carroll delivered a free-kick into the box, which Shawcross got a head to in the six-yard box and it required a superb fingertip save from Butland to push it over the crossbar.
Mark Hughes: "We needed those three points. I said in recent weeks that our performances have been OK and we haven't got the results we deserve but it was a different type of performance today and we just had to get the job done.
"We could have actually scored more goals on the break and should have done better with a couple of opportunities but in the end, it was about getting the three points and we're delighted with that."
Paul Clement: "I believe we've gone to the bottom of the table and with the way we've been playing, we deserve to be bottom. I can't say that we don't or that we've been unlucky.
"You look back at the 10 games that we've lost, I think eight of them are by one goal, but I don't look back and say we've been unlucky. We are where we are because that's how we're playing. It is a very disappointing time."
It was another good performance from the Stoke winger, who sparked the comeback for his side with his 36th-minute goal, and has now been directly involved in nine goals in his last 11 Premier League games (4 goals, 5 assists) - his joint-best return in a league season.
He was involved in most of the Potters' attacking play down the right wing, and should arguably also have had an assist to his name for his play but it was not to be. However, he and manager Mark Hughes will be pleased with a good day's work.
Both teams are next in Premier League action next Saturday, with Stoke travelling to Tottenham and Swansea hosting West Brom.
