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Stoke end battling win at Watford


An own goal by goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes helped earn Stoke City a deserved win as 10-man Watford suffered a first home defeat since August.
Gomes could do little as Charlie Adam's header from Xherdan Shaqiri's corner hit the base of the post before ricocheting off the Brazilian and rolling into the net.
If there was a touch of fortune about the goal, Stoke were full value for their victory against sluggish opponents who missed out on the chance to climb to sixth in the Premier League table.
Watford had defender Miguel Britos sent off in the closing stages for a second yellow card after Gomes had saved well from Bruno Martins Indi, while Stoke's club record £18.3m signing Giannelli Imbula also went close from 25 yards.

Petulant Watford

There was controversy at the end of a scrappy game as Hornets boss Walter Mazzarri appeared to ignore Mark Hughes' handshake.
Watford were unrecognisable from the side that beat Manchester United earlier in the season and had won three of their previous five games.


They had started the day eighth in the table and could have climbed above both Everton and Manchester United, for a few hours at least, with victory.
Yet the Hornets picked up more yellow cards than shots on target - long-range efforts from Daryl Janmaat and Etienne Capoue easily dealt with by Lee Grant.
The loss of Younes Kaboul to injury early in the match did not help Watford's cause while questions were again raised about their indiscipline.
Britos will miss Saturday's game at West Brom after his dismissal while Jose Holebas, midfielder Valon Behrami and Nordin Amrabat were also booked.

Stoke at their battling best

In contrast to Watford's petulance, Stoke were organised and disciplined as they stopped their opponents from scoring at home for the first time this season.
The Potters were at their battling best as they comfortably overcame the loss of influential captain Ryan Shawcross and fellow defender Phil Bardsley to injury.
Imbula was making a rare start in place of suspended midfielder Joe Allen yet this turned out to be one of their most comfortable games of the season as the visitors dominated.
Adam revealed after the game he might have committed a foul just before the winner was scored but the visitors, who were brighter and more creative, deserved their success and are now on a run of one defeat in eight league games.

Man of the match - Xherdan Shaqiri (Stoke City)

'It was a foul'

Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam on his header which led to the goal: "I think it was a foul really, I pushed him but we will take it - it's a great win.
"They had a couple of chances but when the three big lads come up front for the last 10-15 minutes, you get a lot of balls in the box and that's where you have to be solid.
"We are delighted with that, it's a good three points and we move onto next week."
Stoke boss Mark Hughes on Walter Mazzarri not shaking hands at the end: "I think he just forgot for a brief moment what we do here. You offer your hand win, lose or draw. In fairness he came and apologised but I think he was told to."
On Stoke's win: "We were a little bit stretched in terms of personnel. I thought we worked really well and made it happen, I think that was the key. To a man they ran and made it work."

Happy hunting ground

  • Stoke have won on five of their last seven visits to Vicarage Road.
  • The Potters have conceded just five goals in their last eight Premier League games after conceding 18 goals in the eight games prior to that.
  • Heurelho Gomes is the ninth Brazilian to score a Premier League own goal and only the second goalkeeper, following Julio Cesar against Everton for QPR in October 2012.
  • It was Watford's 10th Premier League own goal and their first since May 2016 (Craig Cathcart against Norwich).
  • Only Sunderland (3) have received more red cards than Watford in the Premier League this season (2).
  • No side has conceded more goals from corners in the Premier League this season than Watford (7).
  • The Hornets failed to score in a home Premier League game for the first time since March.

What's next?

At the same time as Watford are away at West Brom on 3 December (15:00 GMT), Stoke entertain Burnley.
http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/38041936

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