Two first-half goals from Marko Arnautovic were enough to see Stoke City collect all three points at the bet365 Stadium.
It was a fantastic performance from Stoke on Saturday as the club recorded their eighth clean sheet of the Premier League season. The Potters recovered well from last weeks 4-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur.
The home side looked like the better side for most of the first half. Ramadan Sobhi hit the crossbar in the 14th minute as Stoke were unlucky not to be ahead in the opening quarter of an hour. However, Arnautovic would put them in front in the 29th minute with his first of the match. A nice long ball from Glenn Whelan was controlled well by the midfielder and he had the composure to dispatch the ball into the back of the net.
Sensational skill from Stoke's Arnautović #PLonNBC pic.twitter.com/OI6PgII6Jd
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) March 4, 2017
Arnautovic would double Stoke’s lead just before halftime in the 42nd minute. The Austrian directed home a header from Peter Crouch in the crowded penalty area to record a first-half brace.
Arnautović doesn't want to share any of the goals. Stoke lead 2-0. #PLonNBC pic.twitter.com/AqOQoaykSq
— NBC Sports Soccer (@NBCSportsSoccer) March 4, 2017
In the second half, Middlesbrough failed to create any real chances and struggled to contain the Stoke attack. It could have been a wider margin of victory if it wasn’t for the play of goalkeeper Victor Valdes.
The win gives Stoke their ninth victory of the campaign as they improve their home record to 6-5-3. Additionally, they have now outscored their opponents 18 to 15 at the Bet365 this season.
Lee Grant recorded the clean sheet in net, giving him a total of seven in the 2016/17 season.
It was a historic day for Arnautovic, as he is only one goal away from scoring the most goals in the Premier League by an Austrian player. He is currently level with Paul Scharner at 21 goals.
Up next, Stoke will face Manchester City on Wednesday. Kickoff is slated for 3:00 p.m. (EST).