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Played
March 19, 2011 11:00 AM EDT
Britannia Stadium — Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire
Referee:‬ L. Mason‎
Attendance:‬ 27505‎
 
 
 
 
90+2′ Ricardo Fuller
 
   
 
 

Player Ratings: Stoke City 4-0 Newcastle United

By Nick Price at the Britannia Stadium

  • Asmir Begovic
    5
    0
    3.50

    Asmir Begovic

    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.

  • Marc Wilson
    0
    0
    3.50

    Marc Wilson

    The Irish utility man put in a competent shift at right-back, working the overlap well and linking up neatly with Pennant.

  • Ryan Shawcross
    1
    0
    3.50

    Ryan Shawcross

    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.

  • Robert Huth
    1
    0
    3.00

    Robert Huth

    A comfortable day for the robust German, the club's top scorer, no less.

  • Danny Higginbotham
    1
    0
    3.50

    Danny Higginbotham

    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.

  • Jermaine Pennant
    8
    0
    4.00

    Jermaine Pennant Top of the Match

    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.

  • Rory Delap
    1
    0
    3.00

    Rory Delap

    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.

  • Glenn Whelan
    2
    0
    3.00

    Glenn Whelan

    Justified another start with a composed and mature display.

  • Matthew Etherington
    1
    0
    3.50

    Matthew Etherington

    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.

  • Kenwyne Jones
    2
    0
    3.50

    Kenwyne Jones

    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.

  • Jonathan Walters
    2
    0
    3.50

    Jonathan Walters

    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.

Substitutions

  • Danny Pugh
    0
    0
    3.00

    Danny Pugh

    Came on for Etherington with half an hour left on the clock and ran the line well.

  • Dean Whitehead
    0
    0
    3.00

    Dean Whitehead

    A late substitute.

  • Ricardo Fuller
    1
    0
    3.50

    Ricardo Fuller

    Came on and showed why he's a fans' favourite with a thumping goal on the half volley.

  • Stephen Harper
    1
    0
    2.00

    Stephen Harper

    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.

  • Fabricio Coloccini
    0
    0
    3.00

    Fabricio Coloccini

    Made a terrific tackle to stop Wilson from racing clear but will want to banish today to the history books.

  • Mike Williamson
    0
    0
    3.00

    Mike Williamson

    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.

  • Sol Campbell
    1
    0
    2.00

    Sol Campbell Flop of the Match

    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.

  • José Enrique
    0
    0
    3.00

    José Enrique

    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.

  • Danny Simpson
    0
    0
    2.50

    Danny Simpson

    A torrid afternoon for the Manchester United academy graduate, who was turned inside out by Etherington.

  • Joey Barton
    0
    0
    3.50

    Joey Barton

    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.

  • Kevin Nolan
    0
    0
    2.50

    Kevin Nolan

    Newcastle's most potent player this season scarcely mustered a chance of his own and looked cumbersome in the box.

  • Cheikh  Tiote
    1
    0
    2.50

    Cheikh Tiote

    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.

  • Peter Lovenkrands
    1
    1
    2.50

    Peter Lovenkrands

    The former Rangers striker hardly got going and was replaced, to little surprise, by Ranger.

  • Shola Ameobi
    0
    1
    3.00

    Shola Ameobi

    Isolated in the first half, the forward hardly had a sniff of goal all afternoon.

Substitutions

  • Shane Ferguson
    0
    0
    3.00

    Shane Ferguson

    Almost scored with a volleyed cross and made a delightful jinking run and shot in the second. Promising.

  • Jonas Gutierrez
    2
    0
    3.00

    Jonas Gutierrez

    An energetic substitute appearance from the Argentine but it was too late to salvage anything.

  • Nile Ranger
    0
    0
    3.00

    Nile Ranger

    A decent cameo from the youngster, who forced a smart save from Begovic.

Results
 
Player Ratings
Tournament
Position
Ranking
Top Scorers
Player   Goals Penalties
Robin van Persie Robin van Persie
Striker
Man United
25 3
Luis Suárez Luis Suárez
Striker
Liverpool
23 0
Gareth Bale Gareth Bale
Midfielder
Tottenham
20 0
C. Benteke C. Benteke
Striker
Aston Villa
19 3
Michu Michu
Midfielder
Swansea City
19 0