Stoke City claim first league win as Allen scores twice against Sunderland

Sunderland were booed off by their own fans at half and full time after a toothless display.

Allen put the home side ahead after just eight minutes when he nodded in Marko Arnautovic’s simple cross, and made it two just before half-time with a volley from the edge of the box.

With a couple of minutes of normal time remaining, Adam almost capped a dominating home performance with a rising shot that struck the bar.

Sunderland struggled in attack, and dropped deep whenever the opposition ever had the ball. David Moyes’ team remain rooted to the bottom with just two points, and look set for another difficult season.

Have Stoke turned the corner? They have struggled to do much impressive as they put together a new team after Mark Hughes recruited in the summer, but against Sunderland they were much more impressive. Their defence is not quite the rock it used to be, and this was only Sunderland, but they did at least show their old attacking thrust on the counterattack.

Joe Allen (Stoke City): He cannot stop scoring. He has five in his last four appearances between club and country. The first was a well-timed run to give him a simple finish, and the second was a strike of excellent technique - he is a much more dangerous and aggressive player than the one who joined Liverpool years ago.

Stoke City: Grant 6, Bardsley 6, Shawcross 6, Martins Indi 6, Pieters 6, Cameron 6, Allen 8, Whelan 6, Arnautovic 7, Bony 6, Shaqiri 7. Subs: Muniesa 6, Adam 6, Walters 6.

Sunderland: Pickford 6, Manquillo 5, Djilobodji 6, Van Aanholt 6, O'Shea 6, McNair 5, Rodwell 5, N'Dong 5, Watmore 6, Khazri 6, Defoe 6. Subs: Pienaar 5, Anichebe 6, Jones 5.

8’ - GOAL! Stoke City 1-0 Sunderland. Allen scores - A ball is slipped in down the left for Arnautovic down the left from Shaqiri. He flicks a cross in for Allen who can stoop to head in from a few yards out.

45’ - PICKFORD SAVE - Bony sends in a cross after chases a heavy pass from Shaqiri, but it's cleared. Sunderland can't break free, and Shaqiri again finds Bony. His pass picks out Cameron whose first effort is blocked, but it ricochets into his path and Pickford sticks out a leg to block.

45+1’ - GOAL! Stoke City 2-0 Sunderland. Allen scores - Another for Allen. The corner is whipped in to Shawcross, whose header is knocked away by O'Shea. It comes straight out to Allen who reaches behind to hook a low volley into the net.

51’ - BONY SHOT - Arnautovic picks out Pieters with an excellent pass down the left. He cuts it back to Bony, whose low shot brings an excellent save from Pickford, and Allen's rebound is blocked by a defender.

67’ - ARNAUTOVIC DISALLOWED GOAL - Arnautovic thinks he's scored, but he's offside. Adam's shot is deflected into his path and it flicks off his toe and into the net. He was a fraction offside, but visibly so.

88’ - ADAM HITS THE BAR - Charlie Adam hits one with his right foot from 30 yards, it clips the bar.

Joe Allen has five goals in his last four appearances.