West Bromwich Albion 1-0 Stoke City
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James Morrison has netted three goals in his last five Premier League games
James Morrison's early goal was enough to ensure West Brom beat Stoke at The Hawthorns to consolidate their place in the top 10.
The Baggies started brightly, with Salomon Rondon netting inside four minutes only to be flagged offside.
Just two minutes later, Morrison latched onto Nacer Chadli's pass and tapped it past Lee Grant.
Saido Berahino, who moved from the Baggies to Stoke in January, was booed when he came on in the 58th minute.
West Brom withstood a late attack from the visitors to keep their second clean sheet in 12 games and stay in eighth place.
The result means that Stoke slip from ninth to 11th in the table, seven points behind the Baggies.
Argentine Claudio Yacob was missing for West Brom after being taken to hospital with suspected appendicitis., external
Baggies dictate pace amid home comforts
West Brom have lost just one of their past six league games and their confidence was evident in the speed with which they started as Livermore's fine pass set up Rondon's offside effort.
Stoke struggled to keep up with the home side in the first half, with Morrison and Chadli combining well to first set up the goal and then outpace the Potters' defence.
It was the visitors' finishing that will trouble them the most, with their strong second-half start going unrewarded as Erik Pieters fluffed a simple header from six yards out.
Stoke had conceded in the 90th minute on the past two occasions the two sides had met and came close again here, but Joe Allen's excellent late block denied Livermore, who was Albion's only permanent signing in the transfer window.
No love lost between the two clubs
Saido Berahino moved to Stoke for £12m in January after seven years with West Brom
The boos for Berahino began before the match as he warmed up with his team-mates and continued as he pulled on a Stoke shirt for the first time against his old side.
His £12m move in January after seven years with the Baggies left the fans unimpressed, but the striker hardly saw any of the ball after he was introduced midway through the second half.
His one significant touch in the area, under pressure from the West Brom defence, saw him slip over the ball and allow his former team to counter-attack, which drew wry cheers from the crowd.
Stoke's main attack came from Allen, who was sprightly, but the visitors were unable to make the breakthrough in a tense final 10 minutes.
There was no handshake between the managers as the game ended, with Tony Pulis walking straight down the tunnel while an unimpressed Mark Hughes stayed on the sidelines.
Berahino, however, received an arm around the shoulders from his former team-mate Rondon.
Man of the match - Jake Livermore (West Brom)
Jake Livermore, making his full debut for the Baggies, worked well with James Morrison and Nacer Chadli. The trio set the pace of the game, outrunning Stoke's defence in the first half.
Morrison equals season's best - match stats
West Brom have enjoyed six wins in their last seven home Premier League games (L1).
Since Tony Pulis took over at The Hawthorns on 10 January 2015, the Baggies have registered 13 1-0 wins in the top-flight - the most of any team in this period.
Stoke have lost four of their last five top-flight away games, with their only win in this run coming at Sunderland last month.
James Morrison has netted three goals in his last five Premier League appearances, as many as he managed in his previous 29.
Morrison has now netted five league goals this season, equalling his best season tally in the Premier League (five in 11-12 and 12-13).
Midfielder Morrison now has 28 Premier League goals for West Brom, a haul only Peter Odemwingie (30) can better.
Nacer Chadli registered his first goal involvement in his last 14 Premier League games, after scoring four and assisting two in his first five this season.
Managers on the game... and the lack of a handshake!
West Brom manager Tony Pulis: "We're pleased. If you look at Stoke, they have a smashing squad of players. They've got a strong squad so it's a good result for us today.
"The supporters have really stuck with us and got behind us and can see what we're trying to do. These things take time to get right and it really annoys me when people change managers quickly.
"You get labelled for things you've done at other clubs, but I have always tried to get the best out of my players at all the clubs I've been at.
On not shaking hands with Hughes: "I shook hands with Eddie [Niedzwiecki, Stoke coach] and Mark was walking away towards their supporters so that was that."
Pulis has 'no problem' with Hughes
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes: "We've played a lot better than today. We've been on a decent run and have been playing well but for whatever reason it wasn't good enough
"I was disappointed in the referee to be perfectly honest. West Brom were winning so they weren't going to rush to get the ball back into play so he allowed himself to be messed around in that regard."
On not shaking hands with Pulis: "I was there. If he came over I would have shook it. He didn't shake my hand at the start of the game either. I was the guest of the club, surely."
'Poor first-half' frustrates Hughes
What next?
West Brom are away at West Ham on Saturday 11 February (15:00 GMT), while Stoke host Crystal Palace on the same day, also at 15:00.
- Published3 February 2017
