Returned to the first team after sitting out, as has become customary, the FA Cup game last week and showed why he is rated as one of the best up-and-coming 'keepers in the country by making a fine fingertip save to deny Ferguson a spectacular equaliser. Stopped Ferguson and Barton in the second with solid stops.
The Irish utility man put in a competent shift at right-back, working the overlap well and linking up neatly with Pennant.
A strong first half from the captain, who put Nolan under just enough pressure to force him to blast over from close distance. Commanding but all too easy.
A comfortable day for the robust German, the club's top scorer, no less.
He scored a daisy cutter last week to send the Potters to Wembley and bettered it this week with an absolutely thumping free-kick that flew through the wall and beyond the hapless Harper.
Made one and scored another, it doesn't get much better. The former Arsenal and Liverpool man delivered a stunning cross to set-up Walters for the opener and then nabbed his first goal for Stoke with a tap-in after some calamitous defending.
Another easy shift for a man in a red and white shirt. The veteran looked comfortable throughout and even though his throws failed to cause much trouble, he was still a good performer.
Justified another start with a composed and mature display.
A lively day for the winger, who may be credited with an assist for Pennant's goal, though he owed much to the awful defending of Campbell. Replaced by Pugh with half an hour remaining.
A selfless afternoon from the former Mackem, who tormented Campbell and Coloccini in the air and capitalised on the slackness of Harper to kick in motion Pennant's goal.
The striker, who has been rather unfairly criticised by some this season, fired Stoke into the lead with a powerful header after making a superb run to the near post.
Came on for Etherington with half an hour left on the clock and ran the line well.
A late substitute.
Came on and showed why he's a fans' favourite with a thumping goal on the half volley.
Dreadful. Utterly dreadful. The 'keeper was at no fault for the first goal but will want to forget all about the second where he recklessly rolled the ball out to Jones and failed to keep out Pennant's shot. At fault for the fourth too.
Made a terrific tackle to stop Wilson from racing clear but will want to banish today to the history books.
A return to the Potteries for the Stoke native was a day to forget, but he was certainly not the worst man in black and white.
If Harper was bad, Campbell was catastrophic. A first start in 2011 for the veteran and he looked like a man who'd played one too many times in his career. Easily beaten by Walters for the opening goal, the former Arsenal man then set-up Pennant for a simple tap-in and was substituted to a mocking standing ovation from the home fans.
The Spanish left-back, a doubt headed into the game, limped off to be replaced by Ferguson with scarcely more than 20 minutes on the clock.
A torrid afternoon for the Manchester United academy graduate, who was turned inside out by Etherington.
One of the few Newcastle players to come out with any credit. Almost struck a quick-fire equaliser from a free-kick after Walters opened the scoring and worked Begovic again in the second half from another well hit set-piece.
Newcastle's most potent player this season scarcely mustered a chance of his own and looked cumbersome in the box.
Hit with a crunching tackle early doors but soon got into the nitty gritty and displayed a calmness under pressure in the middle of the park at times, but disappeared - like many of his team-mates - in the second half.
The former Rangers striker hardly got going and was replaced, to little surprise, by Ranger.
Isolated in the first half, the forward hardly had a sniff of goal all afternoon.
Almost scored with a volleyed cross and made a delightful jinking run and shot in the second. Promising.
An energetic substitute appearance from the Argentine but it was too late to salvage anything.
A decent cameo from the youngster, who forced a smart save from Begovic.
| Tournament | |
| Position | |
| Ranking |
| Rank/Player | Position | Team | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Luis Suárez | Striker | Liverpool | 3.52 |
| 2. Juan Mata | Striker | Chelsea | 3.37 |
| 3. Marouane Fellaini | Midfielder | Everton | 3.36 |
| 4. Coutinho | Midfielder | Liverpool | 3.33 |
| 5. Santi Cazorla | Midfielder | Arsenal | 3.33 |
| 6. Carlos Tévez | Striker | Manchester City | 3.27 |
| 7. Robin van Persie | Striker | Manchester United | 3.27 |
| 8. Alex McCarthy | Goalkeeper | Reading | 3.27 |
| 9. Leighton Baines | Defender | Everton | 3.25 |
| 10. C. Benteke | Striker | Aston Villa | 3.24 |
| 11. Eden Hazard | Midfielder | Chelsea | 3.24 |
| 12. Kevin Mirallas | Striker | Everton | 3.23 |
| 13. David Silva | Striker | Manchester City | 3.22 |
| 14. Phil Jagielka | Defender | Everton | 3.20 |
| 15. Leon Osman | Midfielder | Everton | 3.20 |
| 16. Andros Townsend | Midfielder | QPR | 3.20 |
| 17. Tomas Rosicky | Midfielder | Arsenal | 3.19 |
| 18. Gareth Bale | Midfielder | Tottenham | 3.19 |
| 19. Daniel Sturridge | Striker | Liverpool | 3.19 |
| 20. Romelu Lukaku | Striker | West Bromwich | 3.18 |
| Player | Goals | Penalties | |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Robin van Persie Striker Man United |
25 | 3 |
|
Luis Suárez Striker Liverpool |
23 | 0 |
|
Gareth Bale Midfielder Tottenham |
20 | 0 |
|
C. Benteke Striker Aston Villa |
19 | 3 |
|
Michu Midfielder Swansea City |
19 | 0 |
