Sunderland 1-3 Stoke City

Marko Arnautovic scored his first Premier League brace since 27 February 2016

Sunderland remain in the relegation zone following a sixth Premier League home defeat after Marko Arnautovic's two goals helped Stoke City to victory.

The Potters stunned the hosts with three goals in 19 first-half minutes, Arnautovic scoring his first at the second attempt after Vito Mannone had saved his initial shot.

Austria international Arnautovic's composed finish doubled the lead before Peter Crouch's header from Charlie Adam's cross made it 3-0.

Sunderland got a goal back when Jermain Defoe beat Lee Grant with his first chance after Donald Love's long pass.

However, David Moyes' side were second best throughout and slipped to 19th in the table, one point from safety.

Sunderland's day went from bad to worse when team-mates Patrick van Aanholt and Adnan Januzaj argued with one another on the pitch in the closing stages.

Relive the action from the Stadium of Light

Reaction from Saturday's Premier League games

Will Moyes strengthen his defence?

There were few home fans left inside the Stadium of Light when Mike Dean signalled the end of a game Stoke won with the aid of more poor Sunderland defending.

The Black Cats would have climbed out of the relegation zone for the first time since August had they won.

However, they have managed just two top-flight clean sheets this season and they found themselves behind after just 15 minutes.

Sunderland have conceded 40 goals in 21 Premier League games this season

Arnautovic was unmarked for both his goals while Crouch took advantage of poor goalkeeping by Vito Mannone to score his 99th Premier League goal and his 48th headed goal in the competition.

All the talk in the build-up had been about Moyes trying to keep Defoe from the clutches of Sunderland's Premier League rivals during the January transfer window.

Yet the Sunderland boss needs to shore up his defence to stand any chance of staying up.

With money tight at Sunderland, it remains to be seen if he will be able to find a solution to his side's woeful defensive record before the window closes.

Will Stoke land Berahino?

Stoke's travelling fans have not had a lot to cheer about recently, their previous three away games all ending in defeat with 11 goals conceded.

In addition, they arrived in Sunderland on the back of an FA Cup home defeat at the hands of Championship Wolverhampton Wanders.

Sunderland's leading scorer Jermain Defoe touched the ball 27 times in 90 minutes - half as many times as Peter Crouch managed.

Yet Mark Hughes saw his side pick Sunderland a part to climb to ninth in the table.

Arnautovic's finishing, despite Sunderland's lapses at the back, was of the highest quality.

His first was instinctive after Mannone had saved his initial effort while the second seven minutes later came after he exchanged passes with first Xherdan Shaqiri and then Crouch before beating the keeper at his near post.

Hughes is hoping to secure the signing of West Brom forward Saido Berahino, 23, in the transfer window though 35-year-old Crouch has now scored in his last three Premier League appearances.

It could have been worse for Sunderland. Shortly before Crouch made it 3-0, Shaqiri almost embarrassed Mannone from distance only for the Swiss midfielder's shot to hit a post.

Man of the Match - Marko Arnautovic (Stoke City)

Marko Arnautovic, a constant threat throughout, produced two pieces of quality finishing and came close to completing a hat-trick after the break.

'Players need to take responsibility'

Sunderland manager David Moyes: "The first 20 minutes or so was really poor. All our own doing, terrible mistakes for all three goals.

"The players need to take responsibility and stop making individual mistakes, but I didn't think our overall performance was that bad.

"The fans left early because there is only one road out of here, not just because of the result. They actually leave when we are winning as well sometimes."

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes: "To a man I thought they were absolutely fantastic.

"The football we played during the first 30 minutes or so of the first half was as good as anything we have produced away from home for several years in my opinion.

"We have never finished seventh or eighth in the Premier League before so that is undoubtedly our aim over the final few months of the season."

Rodwell's Sunderland agony continues

• Jack Rodwell has yet to be on the winning side in any of his 35 Premier League starts for Sunderland.

• The Black Cats became just the second team not to use any of their substitutes in a Premier League game this season, after Hull against Leicester on the opening day.

• Stoke have beaten Sunderland twice in the same league season for the first time since 1993-94.

• Only Jonathan Walters (41) and Peter Crouch (36) have scored more Premier League goals for Stoke City than Marko Arnautovic (19, level with Charlie Adam).

• Arnautovic scored his first Premier League goals in 12 games, since netting against Crystal Palace in September.

Next up?

Sunderland could probably do without a midweek FA Cup third-round replay at Burnley but that is what they have got on Tuesday (19:45 GMT). Stoke have a full week to prepare for Manchester United's visit next Saturday (15:00 GMT).