Last update on. From the section Championship
Nick Powell now has six goals this season, the last four of which were in consecutive matches.
Stoke City defeated West Bromwich Albion, the previous unbeaten Championship leaders, with Nick Powell scoring the only goal.
It was like one of those nights at the Potteries where Michael O'Neill's men outplayed visitors, but couldn't find a way to get through.
Jacob Brown scored the goal in the first period, Mario Vrancic added the score in the second. Sam Johnstone made two great saves from Sam Surridge in the second half.
The Potters created a piece of magic on the final 79 minutes. This was a night Valerien Ismael, Albion boss, admitted Stoke were their best team so far this season.
Tommy Smith seized on Conor Townsend's mis-hit pass to float a chipped baseball through the channel to the inside-right channel. Powell then ran on to lift a perfect weighted lob to the marooned Johnstone.
Stoke move up to third after a strong performance in front of 22,703 fans, although this was dwarfed by 2,886 Albion travelling Albion supporters who made it a memorable occasion.
It was largely due to Powell's outstanding performance at 27, who now seems to be an absolute class act in comparison to the young hopeful Manchester United took 3m on nine years ago.
Powell was the one who gave Stoke his first chance. He put Brown through cleanly, only for Johnstone to be outfoxed by Powell and Johnstone to also be found at the base of the post. A second later, Joe Allen, who was fit again, fizzed a right foot follow-up just wide.
Jacob Brown's first miss was one of two Stoke attempts against the woodwork.
Albion's Callum Robinson was able to hit Adam Davies with a powerful left-footvolley, but he also got involved in an incident at one end.
Stoke thought they had scored after Darnell Furlong attempted to clear the danger to his keeper and arced a low diving header into the corner. Referee Tim Robinson had already blown the whistle for a foul on Robinson. He appeared to have fallen very easily to the ground and was booed loudly.
Vrancic, a summer signing, was the next to get close after the break. He floated a left foot free-kick above Johnstone which bounced back off of the bar.
Surridge was denied by Albion's keeper from close range after Powell's second-half low cross.
Semi Ajayi made a goal-bound shot from just off the line. Surridge was then brought down by Johnstone in the melee.
To save Surridge's badly struck penalty kick, the Albion goalkeeper dived to his left to save his feet. However, Powell's winner was the one who saved Surridge's penalty kick. This allowed Stoke to rubberstamped their promotion credentials and kept them within a point of the top spot for the international break.
Michael O'Neill, Stoke City manager, spoke to BBC Radio Stoke:
"It's an enjoyable dressing room, and we deserved the win. But we made it more difficult than necessary by missing so many chances.
"I felt that we were able to deal with whatever they put at us. I didn't think we would lose a goal. Nick Powell is back with that little bit of quality.
Tommy Smith also provided a tremendous assist. He enjoys playing as a wingback and is offering us something in an offensive sense.
"We must keep our fans coming back. The home form was excellent, and the place was sometimes rocking. We have won five here and drawn one - the fans are a huge part of that."
Valerien Ismael, West Brom's boss, spoke to BBC Radio WM
"I don’t know if it was fatigue, but we weren’t good enough.
"Stoke is the best team that we have ever played and they deserved to win.
"We made too many errors and we must learn from them."
"Alex Mowatt has a foot problem that we need to examine."
Powell Nick Powell was the player of the match with an average 7.73 Stoke Stoke City Stoke City Stoke City
West Brom West Bromwich Albion West Bromwich Albion Stoke City Avg squad number 25 Player Powell Average ranking 7.72 Squad Number 8 Player player name Vrancic Player rating average 7.52 Squad Number 16 Player player name Wilmot Average Rating 7.22 Squad Number 6 Player named Player number Brown Player rating average rating 5.27 Squad numbers 8 Player names Ajayi and Mowatt Average ratings 5.17 Squad numbers 5 Player number Bartley Player number Smith Player rating average rating 5.33 Squad no 3 Player number Townsen Average rating of 17.8 Squad for 17 Player number 17 Player, Hugill Player number 14 Squad 14 Player number 14 League Average rating of 4.69 Squad 14 Player number 14 Member name Molumby rating:
