Thursday 31 December 2015 16:48, UK
Charlie Adam has let slip that Stoke team-mate Xherdan Shaqiri did not mean his spectacular second goal against Everton.
The Swiss international looped a first-time effort on the half-volley over the head of goalkeeper Tim Howard from the edge of the box as Mark Hughes' side beat the Toffees 4-3 at Goodison last weekend.
Whether or not the 24-year-old actually meant to shoot or cross has been a topic of debate ever since, and while Shaqiri himself claims it was skill rather than luck, Adam said he asked his team-mate after the match and was told it was an accident.
He told talkSPORT: "No, no way he meant it, I asked him after the game and he said he was trying to cross it for Marko [Arnautovic] in the middle and it was lucky.
"It looks a great finish but I'm delighted for him because over the last few weeks he's been playing well but just needing the goals and he got two there at the weekend.
"So that'll settle him down now and he'll look forward to the rest of the season and hopefully he'll get a few more and a few assists."
Hughes joked in his press conference ahead of the trip to West Brom on Saturday that he would have kept quiet had he been Shaqiri.
He said: "I'd like to think he did [mean it] but unfortunately I heard Charlie Adam on the radio this morning saying that Shaq told him he didn't mean it. So there you go. I would have kept quiet myself and just said I meant it.
"Irrespective of whether he meant it or not, it was still a fantastic goal. But you shouldn't really doubt Shaq because he has the ability to do something like that."
