Stoke City 2-2 Leicester City

Stoke manager Mark Hughes said substitute Peter Crouch "changed the game for us", after the striker salvaged a draw for his side against Leicester in the Premier League.

Switzerland playmaker Xherdan Shaqiri was involved in both of the home side's goals, curling in the first equaliser at the far post before providing the corner for substitute Crouch's thumping header.

Hughes said: "Peter was effective when he came on. He always gets himself in a good position and he understood what was required. He changed the game for us.

"It is important that you consistently pick up points. We won't win every game, we won't lose every game. It is about getting a steady return in terms of points. Every time you get a Premier League point you should celebrate."

Leicester went ahead when Vicente Iborra lashed home from a corner and the Spaniard could have had a first-half hat-trick but had a close-range effort blocked and powered a header over the crossbar.

Former PFA Player of the Year Riyad Mahrez impressed throughout for the visitors and cut in from the left to drill home Leicester's second, before Crouch levelled.

Foxes goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel made a string of saves to preserve a point, the best of which came from Kurt Zouma's header in the last minute of added time.

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A point to prove for Puel

The appointment of Puel received a largely underwhelming reaction from Leicester supporters as a result of Southampton being judged to have had a conservative style of play when he was in charge at St Mary's.

He guided the south coast club to eighth place in the league and a cup final, but ended his time at Saints with one goal in his final six games.

But the 56-year-old seems to have permitted his new charges a more free-flowing approach, allowing Algeria forward Mahrez and the spritely Demarai Gray to roam in the final third.

Gray, often a fringe player under previous Foxes managers Claudio Ranieri and Craig Shakespeare, has started both games under Puel and showed against Stoke how dangerous he can be with his pace and trickery.

After requesting a transfer in the summer, Mahrez has also improved recently, delivering a goal or an assist in each of his past four league games and scoring on his 150th appearance for the club.

Midfielder Iborra netted his first Leicester goal as Stoke failed to clear but the former Sevilla player - who was imposing in the middle of the park, winning the ball seven times - limped off with an ankle injury in the second half.

Leicester ultimately had Schmeichel to thank for the point though, the Denmark keeper making five impressive saves including keeping out low drives from Shaqiri and Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting as well as efforts from defenders Zouma and Ryan Shawcross.

Puel said: "I am happy with the attitude of my players. It was a good game, good intensity and passion.

"We had a lot of chances today, it is difficult to accept one point, but Kasper saved well at the end so OK, we take a point. It is an encouraging game which is important for the future."

Super sub saves Stoke

The introduction of Crouch for winger Ramadan Sobhi signalled a more direct approach for the hosts - and it paid off.

The former England striker came on as a substitute for the 142nd time in the Premier League - equalling ex-Newcastle forward Shola Ameobi's record - and his goal was the 52nd time he has scored with his head, which extends his own record.

Only Jermain Defoe (23 goals) plus Nwankwo Kanu and Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, both with 17, have scored more off the bench.

Crouch said: "It would be nice to be starting and scoring goals but that is the way things are going for me. So I have to come on and make an impact and try and get in the starting XI.

"It was an important point. In the last couple of weeks having Ryan Shawcross back has helped in defence - we have been dogged."

Stoke continued their sketchy start to the season and Mark Hughes' side have won just three times in the league so far, leaving them only four points above the relegation zone.

England's Plan B?

Former Premier League goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer on Final Score:

"I am not surprised at all that he is still going. He is 36 but still fit, looks after himself and is a great professional. He is a great character to have around the changing room and a fantastic option to bring off the bench.

"I think there is a case to say that he is a Plan B for England. Why can you not say that? Look at Euro 2016 against Iceland, there was no Plan B. Now what do England have as an alternative to playing football at the moment? They do not have very much.

"The closest is Andy Carroll but is he fitter than Crouch? That is the problem. Crouch would be more than happy just to be part of the squad and he has incredible experience and scores goals in the Premier League."

Man of the match - Riyad Mahrez (Leicester)

What next?

The international break is coming up so the sides are not in action for a couple of weeks. Stoke's next match is a trip to Brighton on Monday, 20 November (kick-off 20:00 GMT) while Leicester host Manchester City on Saturday, 18 November (15:00 GMT).

Potter in the box - the stats

• This is the third successive Premier League season this fixture has ended in a 2-2 draw.
• Stoke City fielded an unchanged starting XI in a Premier League game for the first time since February 26, after 22 consecutive league matches where their line-up changed.
• Darren Fletcher has now appeared in 102 consecutive Premier League matches for his current and previous clubs (West Brom and Stoke combined) - the joint-fifth longest run by an outfield player in Premier League history.
• Vicente Iborra scored his first goal in 16 league appearances since netting in La Liga for Sevilla against Athletic Bilbao in March.
• Xherdan Shaqiri's goal was only the third (of nine in total) he has scored inside the box as a Premier League player - the last time he scored a league goal in the area was December 2015.
• Shaqiri has now been involved in 21 Premier League goals (nine goals, 12 assists) - more than double the number of any other Swiss player (Ramon Vega had 10).