Missed chances will haunt both Stoke City and Manchester City after they played out a 0-0 draw at The Britannia Stadium.
Stoke City went into yesterday’s game hoping to extend their winning streak in the Premier League to three consecutive games whilst opponents Man City were aiming to pick up their first win at in the Potteries in six attempts.
Mark Hughes stuck with the same side that took all three points from West Ham a fortnight ago, but Manuel Pellegrini’s injury hit side was considerably weakened by the absences of Captain Vincent Kompany, David Silva, Gael Clichy and Micah Richards.
Both teams had chances in the opening stages but couldn’t equalise on any of them. The Potters’ could have been in front inside 14 minutes when Jon Walters hit a free header from four yards out well wide of Joe Hart’s right hand post before Alvaro Negredo found himself in the space between midfield and defence and hit a long range effort that was bent off target.
Kenwyne Jones scored a hat trick in his last game at The Britannia and was hoping to add a Premier League goal to his account, he managed to dispossess Samir Nasri on the outside of the area but his shot was well saved by a sprawling Hart.
The home side had the majority of chances heading into the break, with Charlie Adam hitting a shot straight at the goalkeeper from 25 yards, but Stoke still couldn’t find the opening they craved.
Man City were awarded a free kick in the closing stages of the first half, but Aleksandar Kolarov hit it wide of Asmir Begovic’s right hand post.
Walters was in the right place again at the start of the second half after he tried to knock the ball in from close range from Ryan Shawcross’ cross into the box but again he managed to do everything but score.
Man City had a chance a few seconds later on the break but Begovic was all over the effort.
Jones got away from his marker and ran onto Charlie Adam’s cross from eight yards out but his header was over the bar, before the Scottish International decided to try a shot of his own from 28 yards out but again the shot was over.
Pellegrini brought on Sergio Aguero in an attempt to break the deadlock and he was involved straight away as the visitors combined to set up Jack Rodwell but he couldn’t equalise on the opportunity.
The atmosphere inside The Britannia Stadium lifted, as did the volume as the fans urged their teams to find the winning goal.
Hughes introduced Marko Arnautovic and Stephen Ireland for their Potters’ debuts and they were straight into the action as the Australian hit a ball into the box that had to be blocked by Hart on the line and the rebound was hit over the bar by Jones.
The closing stages saw Jones go off injured to be replaced by Peter Crouch and Robert Huth was knee’d in the back of the head and stayed down, which was worrying for Hughes having already made all three substitutions but the big German pulled himself back up and managed to continue.
Both sides tried to find the break through after the referee awarded six minutes extra time but the game ended 0-0 with both sides getting a deserved point.