PREMIER LEAGUE
XHERDAN SHAQIRI’S stunning 30- yard strike capped a Stoke victory that eased their relegation fears and left Hull still looking nervously over their shoulder.
The Swiss fired into the top corner with 10 minutes remaining in a win for the Potters, who ended their four- game losing streak to move 11 points clear of the relegation zone, while Hull remain just two above the drop.
Marco Silva’s side had been level when Harry Maguire cancelled out MarkoArn auto vic’ s opener, yet sub Peter Crouch restored Stoke’s lead, before Shaqiri’s moment of magic.
Michael Dawson was exploited early on by Shaqiri with a pass he threaded through to Arnautovic, who took two touches and blasted in off the crossbar.
Shaqir i’s delightful chipped pass then came to Arnautovic inside the box, yet this time he blazed over.
The Swiss’ confidence was contagious as Ryan Shawcross dinked through for Saido Berahino to finish, but was correctly ruled out for offside.
The Tigers eventually stirred, but Oumar Niasse was hesitant to apply the finish to Lazar Markovic’s cross, while the Serbian had a volley kept out by Lee Grant.
Hull’s prospects of a second- half fightback would have diminished had Niasse seen red in the first period after pushing Geoff Cameron’s face moments after he had been booked.
And the Tigers were level six minutes after the restart through Maguire.
Andrea Ranocchia was unable to turn home Sam Clucas’ cross, but the ball fell to Maguire to lash at goal, aided by a deflection off Shawcross’ arm.
The boos which greeted the goal from the home support followed
again when, as part of a double substitution, Hughes replaced Berahino, though the men he brought on, Jonathan Walters and Crouch, turned the game.
Walters’ header was brilliantly kept out by El dinJa ku po vic and Crouch could not contort his body into a position to fire in the rebound.
Erik Pieters was nearly culpable as a mix- up between him and Grant led to Niasse firing over.
A row between Grant and Pieters followed, before tension was lifted by Crouch.
Arn auto vic’ s longrange pass to Walters was expertly brought down and he crossed to Crouch to guide a header beyond Jakupovic.
Grant saved from Kamil Grosicki and, after Walters struck the bar, Shaqiri let rip from 30 yards with his left foot.