Bera hopes it’s worth the weight
SLIM SAIDO’S UPBEAT
SAIDO BERAHINO is chasing the slimline tonic of a lateseason goal rush to repay the faith boss Mark Hughes has shown him.
The Stoke striker has not scored in 25 Premier League games – a run stretching back more than 14 months to his West Brom days.
Berahino was overweight when he moved to the Potteries from Albion for £12m in January, having not played for four-and-a-half months – during which time he served an eight-week ban for failing a drugs test.
But he has shed 6kg since Hughes took him on and is doing extra training to sharpen up his touch in front of goal.
Chances
Berahino said: “The way my body is, when I’m playing, I trim down. When I’m not playing, it puts on weight.
“I’ve got to blame my family for the genes they gave me.
“It’s not junk food. It’s just that I put on weight easily if I don’t move. If I don’t do exercise, my weight just goes up. That’s what happened at West Brom.
“It’s not worrying me that I haven’t scored. I’d be worried if I wasn’t getting any chances. Every striker goes through this phase. I’ve just got to keep strong and put myself into good positions.
“After training, I like to stay behind and do my own finishing. The hard work will pay off soon enough.”
Berahino twice came close to ending his goal drought against West Ham, but was denied in the first half by a Winston Reid block and after half-time by a fine Adrian save.
The big talking point was the display of Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland in his first home league game after more than a year out with a broken ankle.
With England boss Gareth Southgate watching on, Butland did his chances of an international recall no harm with three great stops.
“I believe he can get back into the England squad,” Berahino said. “He’s a brilliant keeper. I see that every day in training. He’s got every chance. He’s already been there, so why not?
“I’ve known him since we were 16, so we’ve got that connection. It was just brilliant to see him enjoying himself again.”
West Ham are just about safe after extending their unbeaten run to four games – but have underachieved this season, just like Stoke. They want to give their fans something to cheer with a bit of revenge over Tottenham on Friday.
Slaven Bilic’s side fell to an agonising 3-2 defeat at White Hart Lane in November and keeper Adrian believes it is time for payback.
“We can have revenge,” Adrian said. “It’s another good game for us. It’s a London derby and one of the last games at home, so we have to show how West Ham can play.
“At Tottenham, we played very well but they had the luck to score at the end. That is the past now. We are a different West Ham.” STOKE (4-3-3): BUTLAND 8; Johnson 7, Shawcross 7, Martins Indi 7, Muniesa 6 (Crouch 6; Allen 70, 6), Whelan 6 (Adam 80), Cameron Shaqiri 6, Berahino 6; 6, Arnautovic 6. Subs: Grant, Bardsley, Pieters, Sobhi, Diouf. UP NEXT: Bournemouth (a), Premier League, Saturday. WEST HAM (3-5-2): ADRIAN 7; Fonte 7, Reid 7, Collins 7; Fernandes 6, Kouyate 7, Nordtveit 6, Lanzini 7, Masuaku 6 (Cresswell 46, 6); Ayew 6 (Noble 69, 6), Calleri 6 (Snodgrass 80). Subs: Randolph, Byram, Feghouli, UP Fletcher. NEXT: Tottenham (h), Premier Friday. League, Referee: Lee Probert 8. YOUR TURN: Which striker scored Stoke’s last-minute winner when they beat West Ham 2-1 at home last season?