London, Feb 2 (DPA) Sunderland’s poor form continued in a goalless draw at home with Stoke City in Monday’s only English Premier League match.
After a promising start to the season, Steve Bruce’s side have now gone 11 matches without a win in the league. The result leaves them languishing in 13th place on 24 points, two points behind their opponents on Monday in 12th.
With the respective form of both sides – Stoke themselves have won only one match from their last nine away from home – a draw was always a possibility, but the visitors will nevertheless feel they had the better chances and should have taken all three points.
After just three minutes had elapsed, and in their first attack of the match, Stoke should have taken the lead. Turkish striker Sanil Tuncay found Dean Whitehead in the penalty area with only the goalkeeper to beat, but his weak shot was fired straight at Craig Gordon.
Sunderland will feel aggrieved they were not rewarded for a strong penalty appeal on the hour, when Robert Huth appeared to move his arm toward the ball to block Darren Bent’s cross for the home side.
With 10 minutes remaining, Ricardo Fuller had another good chance to win the game for Stoke, but he, too, failed to break the deadlock as, after powering away from the home defence, his shot was again fired straight at Gordon.
rounak