Stoke 2 Leicester 2: Peter Crouch earns a point with trademark header as hosts come from behind twice

Peter Crouch makes it 2-2 with a bullet header
Peter Crouch makes it 2-2 with a bullet header Credit: Reuters

Peter Crouch has never officially retired from international duty with England but his enduring qualities will not have escaped Gareth Southgate here.

Crouch produced the trademark equaliser, a powerful header in front of the England manager, and while a recall is unlikely there are few strikers like Crouch left in the Premier League.

The 36-year-old has not appeared for his country since a friendly against France in November 2010 but he remains immensely important to Stoke: he is the game-changer, the go-to man when the game is threatening to slip away, and his contribution here as a substitute ensured the third successive 2-2 draw between these two sides at the bet365 Stadium.

Crouch may detest that tag as a super-sub hero, regularly bemoaning his lack of starts whenever he gets the opportunity, but it is fully deserved at the moment.

Mark Hughes, the Stoke manager, said: “Everyone is saying Peter is Plan B – if he continues like this, he may well be Plan A.

Vicente Iborra celebrates
Ibrorra put Leicester ahead from a corner Credit: Getty images

“Peter’s quality and attributes are there for all to see. He came on and was a real threat, once you bring him on he’s a completely different problem for the opposition.

“An England recall? I think Peter has discussed this before but never say never [Crouch has 42 caps]. He is a guy that we all feel has more games and more seasons at this level. 

“It only illustrates what a great professional he is. I played until I was 38 and wanted to be on the training pitch every day.”

Crouch had only been on the field for four minutes when he capitalised on poor Leicester marking, particularly from Harry Maguire, to power Xherdan Shaqiri’s corner past Kasper Schmeichel.

It ensured that this time it was Stoke who recovered the game, after previously tossing away two-goal leads in their last two encounters with Leicester in the Potteries.

Under Puel, Leicester appear to be relying on the counter-attack, utilising the speed of Jamie Vardy, Mahrez and Demarai Gray, against a Stoke defence here which is not always renowned for its mobility.

But it was from a Mahrez corner where they took the lead in the 33rd minute, midfielder Vicente Iborra hooking the ball past Jack Butland after Maguire’s knockdown. Iborra, signed from Sevilla in the summer for £12.5m, already looks a shrewd purchase and Leicester’s grip on midfield was clearly affected when he limped off midway through the second half with an ankle injury.

Iborra also missed two decent chances shortly after his first goal for the club and with Southgate making a rare trip to the Potteries, Butland also produced an excellent save to push away Shinji Okazaki’s close-range header. It was a timely moment for the Stoke keeper, who is surely now in pole position to become England’s No. 1, ahead of the friendlies against Germany and Brazil.

Xherdan Shaqiri 
Xherdan Shaqiri played a key role for Stoke Credit: Getty images

Leicester had been threatening to run away with the game, only for Stoke to equalise out of nowhere six minutes before half-time. Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s clever flick caught out the Leicester defence and Shaqiri broke clear to bend the ball into the corner.

The game was now finely balanced, both teams making mistakes and chances, with Mahrez close to finding the corner after another menacing run down the left from Gray.

Schmeichel then saved brilliantly from Ryan Shawcross but Mahrez finally earned the goal his play deserved just after the hour, cutting in on his left to direct his shot under Butland. Vive la revolution? Not quite.

Inevitably, Crouch was introduced as time began to tick away as Stoke ripped up their original gameplan. It produced an almost instant impact, with the striker capitalising on Maguire’s loss of concentration to meet Shaqiri’s corner with a fierce header into the corner. “Peter Crouch is always difficult to play against,” said Puel afterwards, ruefully.

Kelechi Iheanacho had a goal disallowed for offside late on, with Schmeichel also saving from Kurt Zouma in added time, but nothing could separate the two sides after another absorbing encounter.  

Puel now has a victory and a draw from his two games in charge, with league leaders Manchester City up next after the international break. 

He said: "We had a lot of chances today. It's a pity because I think we deserved more. We had passion and intensity.

“It is difficult to accept this draw. I don’t know if it is a fair result but we could have lost in the last action without the fantastic save of Kasper but I think it is an encouraging game. We can improve on the goals we conceded but this was interesting for the future.”

                                                                                                    

Full time

And that's the final action - it finishes 2-2.

Neither set of players looks very happy with that - Shaqiri and Mahrez in particular look utterly devastated - but it was probably a fair result. Leicester might have just shaded it but you have to give Stoke credit for fighting back twice to come from behind and rescue a point. And good on Crouchy for getting yet another headed goal from the bench. 

Crouch celebrates his goal Credit: Reuters

90 mins +5

So nearly a winner for Peter Crouch! He makes the same near post run and heads powerfully at goal but Schmeichel does well to palm it away!

90 mins +4

One final piece of action as Coupo-Moting wins a corner on the left. Stoke load the box. Shaqiri to take...

90 mins +4

Shaqiri lofts it forward but doesn't even beat the first man. Leicester try to counter with Vardy but Allen gets back at him well.

90 mins +3

Stoke looking the more likely to get a winner here, and Fletcher wins a free kick in midfield which the home side will certainly send the big guns forward for.

90 mins +2

Mahrez so nearly manages to slip Vardy in but he has overhit it and it trickles out for a goal kick. Just over two minutes remain.

90 mins

Mark Hughes is barking orders manically at his players with every touch. This is all set for a tense finish. Four minutes added on.

88 mins

Disallowed goal for Leicester! 

Fuchs lumps a ball down the line and Vardy is first onto it once again. He slides a square ball low into Mahrez's path, and his shot deflects and lands at the feet of Iheanacho, who finishes from inside the six-yard box, but he is rightly flagged offside.

Another Stoke sub

Diouf replaced by Berahino. Hughes looks like he's going for this now. He wants all three points.

82 mins

A deep free-kick is floated into the Leicester box by Shaqiri but Choupo-Moting can only glance a header wide.

Leicester's final substitution

Gray is replaced by Marc Albrighton - a very different type of player but one we know can be very effective with his crossing.

78 mins

Another lightning Leicester counter - how good are they to watch when in full flight? - and Iheanacho feeds Vardy, who has a defender for company, but he turns back onto his left to get himself a yard. This is his moment, surely... but he can't get a clean contact on the ball and he drags his shot wide of the left post.

GOOOAALLL! Stoke 2-2 Leicester (Crouch)

Crouchy to the rescue again! And again Stoke punish a Leicester miss!

Diouf wins a corner, Shaqiri whips it in, and Crouch charges for the front post and plants a powerful header in to the bottom corner. Game well and truly on!

71 mins

Vardy is again involved, flying down the left wing into acres of space. He has Iheanacho for company but he takes too long to get set and Wimmer gets across to shut out the cross. His team-mate isn't happy with him.

The short corner is eventually cleared, but only as far as King on the edge of the box but his volley is ambitious to say the least. It goes well wide.

70 mins

Vardy is so good at getting counter-attacks going and not just by charging head down for the corner. This time he brings the ball down beautifully and cuts the ball back perfectly into King's path. King releases Iheanacho and for a split second it looks like he's in on goal, but then the linesman's flag shoots up.

69 mins

Old replaces young as Peter Crouch comes on for Ramadan Sobhi. 16 years separates those two.

67 mins

Pieters teases Maguire with a lovely cross into that dreaded Corridor of Uncertainty. Diouf is lurking behind him, Maguire swings a leg and appears to have clean missed it. Diouf can't get on the end of it, but he's adamant he should have a corner. Nothing doing from Jon Moss.

66 mins

A second Leicester sub, with Andy King replacing Iborra, who is limping off injured.

63 mins

After a second look at that goal, I really think Butland should do better. It comes at him fairly quickly but it basically goes through him. Many a Premier League goalkeeper saves that in my book.

GOAAAAAALLL!!! Stoke 1-2 Leicester (Mahrez)

Leicester have punished Stoke for missing that chance within 60 seconds. Ndidi puts in a strong challenge in central midfield and Stoke want a free-kick but he has clearly got a lot of the ball.

It flies up in the air and lands at Mahrez's feet on the right wing. He trots towards the left-back, jinking one way and the other, before cutting back onto his left and drilling low and into the far corner. Leicester lead again!

59 mins

Pieters wins a corner off Simpson. Shaqiri floats it into the box and Shawcross is completely unmarked to meet it at the back post. He powers a header low towards the bottom left corner but what a save that is from Kasper Schmeichel, who get down really well to turn it away!

A first sub of the game

Kelechi Iheanacho replaces Shinji Okazaki for Leicester. 

57 mins

Allen has been given more licence to get forward this half, and he nearly gets on the end of Choup-Moting's low ball into the box but can't quite turn it goalwards.

53 mins

Feet players have feet like Mahrez when he's at his best. He drifts into the area in an inside left position, stands the defender up, then shifts the ball onto his left and drills low towards the far post, only for the shot to fly just wide. Very close indeed.

49 mins

And now it's Leicester's turn to attack, with Vardy skipping past Zouma but his cross just evading Okazaki, before Mahrez stings Butland's fingers from all of 30 yards. He tips over but Leicester are unable to take advantage from the set-piece.

47 mins

Lively start from Stoke, with Allen getting forward well on the right, and his shot deflects before Schmeichel takes it well.

The players are back out

And Leicester get the second half started.

Half time

What a half that ended up being! 

It was a really slow start, with neither team keen to give anything to their opponent, but Leicester managed to draw Stoke out and hit them on the counter before one of their many corners eventually brought a goal, only for Stoke to hit straight back.

We waited 14 minutes for our first shot and 21 for our first shot on target, but then the game came to life. Leicester should have doubled their lead before Shaqiri's equaliser (and possibly even got a third) but the teams somehow go in level at the break.

First half stats:

Shots

Possession

Touches in opposition box

45 mins +4 

After a manic 10 minutes, the half is petering out here.

45 mins

Four minutes added on.

44 mins

What an end to this half this is - Stoke go straight up the other end and Diouf charges towards the corner, cuts back for Shaqiri, and his shot is deflected behind for a corner. Choupo-Moting shoots well over the bar as a loose ball falls in the box from Shaqiri's corner.

42 mins

So nearly an own goal! Diouf comes charging back to deal with Okazaki's lovely bending cross from the right and his clearance only just beats Butland's crossbar!

GOOOOAL! Stoke 1-1 Leicester (Shaqiri)

Oh dear, Leicester! They've been made to pay for not taking any of the three big chances they've had since going ahead to double their lead. Choupo-Moting comes short to meet Zouma's pass from the right-back position, Morgan goes with him, and Shaqiri just trots into the space Morgan vacated. 

He takes one touch, has a look at Schmeichel and finishes beautifully with his left-footed effort going in off the far post.

37 mins

Stoke race up the other end with Shaqiri, but his through ball is just to hard for Allen, so Leicester go on the attack again. Mahrez finds Gray, Gray hits the line then crosses for Okazaki but his header is really well tipped over by Butland.

And then from the resulting corner, Iborra has a free header but powers it way over the bar. Huge chance!

36 mins

Ohh that's a huge chance for Leicester to make it two! Mahrez is slipped in on the left and Vardy is screaming for it in the middle - he's totally free! Mahrez HAS to play it but he delays and delays and delays, and Zouma gets back to tackle him.

GOAL! Stoke 0-1 Leicester (Iborra)

Fuchs crosses into the Stoke box and Butland misjudges it horribly - he really hasn't had a very good season - so Wimmer has to head behind. Shawcross heads the first corner behind for another corner but Stoke get the next one all wrong.

It's aimed deep towards Morgan and Maguire, who are always going to cause a problem. Zouma can't get it clear and the balls falls right to Iborra to slam it home from close range. No chance for Butland.

30 mins

Both teams are looking far, far more dangerous when able to counter and Leicester go straight up the other end with Mahrez jinking this way and that, before shooting low, and it comes off Shawcross awkwardly before going behind. Stoke clear the corner.

28 mins

And when Stoke do finally nick the ball they launch an attack with Sobhi finding Choupo-Moting, who is in space and one-on-one with Harry Maguire. Maguire tries to force the attacker outside and onto his left but Moting cuts onto his right and shoots low - but Schmeichel is equal to it. Big chance, that.

27 mins

Leicester enjoying a bit of possession, but Stoke are doing well to force them wide and keep Mahrez quiet when he tip-toes in-field. No way through.

22 mins

And we have the first change of the game. Bobby Madley - yep, referee Bobby Madley - has a calf injury, and Jon Moss comes on in his stead.

Today's first change

21 mins

It is Mahrez, and he fires it straight into the wall, about two feet off the ground. Stoke break with Allen feeding Sobhi, he charges at Simpson but gets the ball stuck under his feet and is tackled.

Now it's Leicester's turn to counter, with Mahrez finding Gray on the left. He dinks a ball up to the back post where Okazaki is arriving, but he just can't get to it. More action in that minute than in the previous 20.

19 mins

Gray comes in off the left and Zouma takes him down right on the edge of the box. A dangerous position and Mahrez looks like he fancies it.

18 mins

A frustrating game so far and Puel looks pretty unhappy with his team so far. No cutting edge for either team - or I suppose we could think of it as both teams defending well.

14 mins

We have our first shot of the game! Fletcher finds Shaqiri in a good central position. He works the ball right, then back onto his favoured left, but miscues his shot horribly and it trickles wide of Schmeichel's left post.

10 mins

Stoke are building the pressure and Leicester, after struggling to get out of their own half for the last few minutes, launch a break with Gray down the left. He stands up Zouma, darts down the line and drills a low cross through the defender's leg. Butland does well down low with Vardy lurking. Still no shots so far.

 And pretty even possession, too.

8 mins

Ndidi brings down Pieters and Stoke have a free-kick in a decent position on the left win. Shaqiri overhits his cross and Wimmer, after chasing it down, gives away a soft foul. A waste.

5 mins

Mahrez launches a long ball into the right channel for Vardy to chase. He drops his shoulder and charges for the byline, and his cross comes off Shawcross and goes behind for a corner. Stoke deal with it well and clear easily.

3 mins

The great thing about an early kick-off at Stoke is that you don't get a slow start, you don't get sleepy, quiet fans, and we have had a lively start here already. Leicester controlling early possession but when Stoke win it and try to launch a break they are spurred on by a roar of home support. Xherdan Shaqiri loses the ball in a decent position but the fans are happy anyway.

And we're off

Stoke get us under way at the Bet365.

First things first

Remembrance Day falls in international week, so there is a minute's silence before kick off here.

Here come the players

It's a crisp sunny day at the Bet365 Stadium and we're all set for the first Premeir League game of the weekend.

Prediction

Leicester's last two games have been under two different (new) managers in Michael Appleton and then Claude Puel. They have won both. Demarai Gray looked like he would benefit from the Frenchman's appointment when he took Everton apart last week, and Leicester look full of confidence again. When they are at their best they still are very, very good.

Stoke did well to beat an impressive Watford side last week but they are just so inconsistent there is no knowing who will turn up today.

I'm going Stoke 1-2 Leicester today. 

Sparky obviously liked what he saw last time

Second game for Claude

So Claude Puel takes charge of his second game as Leicester manager today, and going to Stoke is never an easy task.

Demarai Gray keeps his place after a fantastic performance in the win over Everton last week but Riyad Mahrez moves back out to the wing, with Shinji Okazaki returning to the team and joining Jami Vardy in a two-man attack.

Demarai Gray keeps his spot Credit: Getty images

For the home side, whose sketchy form reads LLWLLW, it is the same team that ground out a 1-0 win at Watford last time out. That means three at the back again and 20-year-old Ramadan Sobhi retains his spot in attacking midfield.

The teams are in

Stoke: Butland; Zouma, Shawcross, Wimmer; Diouf, Fletcher, Allen; Pieters; Shaqiri, Ramadan; Choupo-Moting

Subs: Grant; Berahino, Jese, Afellay, Martins Indi, Adam, Crouch

Leicester: Schmeichel; Simpson, Maguire, Morgan, Fuchs; Gray, Ndidi, Iborra, Mahrez; Okazaki, Vardy

Subs: Hamer, Dragović, Amartey, King, Albrighton, Iheanacho, Slimani

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