Tottenham goes 3rd in the Premier League with Watford win
Arnautovic (Stoke City) – A couple of moments of class from Shaqiri were the stand-out moments in the game, but Arnautovic was the pick of the bunch for Stoke and he produced the match-winning moment to win the penalty and had the composure to finish in-front of a baying Goodison Park crowd. Tom Cleverley’s stoppage-time goal ensured that the two sides come into today’s game level on points, with Everton ahead on goal difference.
An injury-time penalty from Marko Arnautovic saw Stoke City grab a dramatic late victor against Everton at Goodison.
Romelu Lukaku twice brought Everton level, canceling out strikes by Stoke winger Xherdan Shaqiri, to move to 15 goals for the season and tie with Leicester’s Jamie Vardy as the league’s top scorer.
Unquestionably an early indication of Stoke’s current confidence, while Everton’s early jitters weren’t helped by the sight of John Stones being bundled off the ball by the eager Arnautovic.
It was arguably his most influential display in a Stoke shirt, and Hughes expects him to push on from here.
Stoke have beaten both the Manchester teams in the league this season, becoming only the second team to have done so after Arsenal.
Despite their showpiece wins, scoring goals consistently has been a problem for the Potters, who have managed just 16 in 18 games – a joint-league low.
Martinez used midfielder Gerard Deulofeu only as a substitute in the 1-0 Boxing Day victory at Newcastle, where he left Arouna Kone sitting on the bench, and both will hope for involvement at Goodison Park.
But Stoke’s celebrations, amid a deathly hush from the home support, were sadly all too short.
Watch Everton in Premier League action at home to Tottenham on Super Sunday, live on Sky Sports 1 HD from 3.30pm. For Stoke, the future looks bright as their summer signings continue to gel into a thoroughly impressive and entertaining side.
Cleverley invoked his inner Bojan but guiding a searching long ball into the path of the on-rushing Lukaku, who controlled the inch flawless ball on his chest before slotting home.
For the visitors were guilty of ball watching and looking rather static as a somewhat orchestrated four-man Everton move culminated in James McCarthy sliding through for an unmarked Lukaku to slip home his 10 goal in his last 10 appearances.
The goal of the day was Shaqiri’s second in the 44th minute.
However, he is still without Stephen Ireland, Peter Crouch and Marc Muniesa (all hamstring).