Stoke City vs Everton. Premier League.
Bet365 StadiumAttendance27,612.
Wednesday 1 February 2017 22:59, UK
Peter Crouch scored his 100th Premier League goal but it wasn't enough to hand Stoke all three points as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton.
It took Crouch, who became the oldest player to reach 100 top-flight goals at 36 years and two days, just seven minutes to reach the landmark, finishing from close range after being played in by Marko Arnautovic's cross.
However, Everton were awarded a controversial equaliser just before the break as the flag went up for offside against Romelu Lukaku but referee Craig Pawson, in consultation with his assistant, awarded the goal after spotting Ryan Shawcross' touch to divert Seamus Coleman's shot into the back of the net.
Mark Hughes handed new signing Saido Berahino his debut in the second-half but it was the visitors, who created the clearest chance in the 86th minute as Lee Grant kept out Tom Davies' powerful header.
The rebound fell to substitute Ademola Lookman but his shot flashed wide as it ended all square at the bet365 Stadium.
The result means Everton stay seventh in the table, nine points behind fourth-placed Liverpool, while a point moves Stoke up to ninth and ahead of Burnley on goal difference.
Much of the focus before kick-off was on Stoke's £12m signing Berahino, who was handed a place on the bench by Hughes, but Crouch, starting in his position, who grabbed the early headlines.
In the seventh minute a ball over the top released Arnautovic, who crossed to give Crouch the simplest of finishes to notch his 100th Premier League goal.
Crouch, who became the 26th player to reach a century of top-flight goals, celebrated with his trademark robot and could have had a second in the 23rd minute after being picked out by Charlie Adam, but he could not get enough power on his header to trouble Joel Robles.
Crouch was handed another opportunity three minutes later and he made a sweet connection with a volley but with Robles rooted to the spot the ball flashed past the post.
Despite Stoke creating the clearer opportunities Everton, who handed Morgan Schneiderlin a first start, were starting to find their rhythm and a slick passing move released Coleman into the penalty area, but under pressure from Bruno Martins Indi, the full-back fired over the crossbar.
Everton then needed Robles to keep the deficit to one with the Spanish goalkeeper blocking Arnautovic's shot before grabbing an equaliser under controversial circumstances.
In the 39th minute, Coleman's goal-bound shot found the back of the net after a deflection off Shawcross. The linesman's flag initially went up with Romelu Lukaku standing in an offside position but after consulting with his assistant, referee Pawson awarded the goal after spotting Shawcross' final touch.
Everton brought on James McCarthy at the break for Mason Holgate and it meant a change of system for the visitors, which disrupted Stoke.
Barkley was the beneficiary of a huge amount of space as the Stoke defence retreated but the England midfielder's long-range effort was comfortably saved by Grant.
Adam then almost pulled of a repeat his 2015 wonder goal against Chelsea, spotting Robles off his line, but the goalkeeper scrambled back to make a last-ditch save.
Hughes threw on Berahino with 23rd minutes, while Ronald Koeman responded by bring on Lookman, who forced Grant into a save with one of his first touches of the game.
Grant was then needed to deny Schneiderlin as the Everton pressure began to build and the Stoke goalkeeper pulled of his best save of the night with just four minutes remaining.
Coleman's cross picked out the run of Tom Davies but the midfielder's powerful header was superb kept out by Grant's superb one-handed save.
The danger was not over though, as the rebound fell to Lookman, who fired across goal and wide of the far post as the game ended all square.
Player ratings
Stoke: Grant (8), Bardsley (7), Shawcross (6), Martins Indi (7), Pieters (7), Whelan (6), Adam (8), Afellay (7), Allen (7), Arnautovic (7), Crouch (8).
Subs: Berahino (5), Ngoy (n/a).
Everton: Joel (8), Baines (7), Funes Mori (7), Williams (7), Holgate (6), Coleman (7), Schneiderlin (6), Davies (7), Barkley (7), Mirallas (6), Lukaku (6).
Subs: McCarthy (6), Lookman (6).
Man of the Match: Charlie Adam
