HOW THEY RATED

STARTING FORMATION:

3-4-1-2

BEN WILSON: Pulled off a brilliant one-handed save to deny Connor Taylor opening the scoring with a header that looked like it was going in at the far top corner. Commanded his box well but had no chance with the equaliser. Pulled off another brilliant stop, this time to deny Fletcher giving Stoke a third equaliser at the far post. 7.5 LEO OSTIGARD: Strong in he tackle in another fully committed display from the Norwegian who had a hand in the second goal with a flicked header to Biamou to score. 7.5 KYLE MCFADZEAN: Led by example with another dominant display from the heart of the back three. 7.5

DOM HYAM: Read the game well and drove forward well on occasions to help spark attacks and tackled well. Unable to stop the cross for the second equaliser. 7 JULIAN DACOSTA: Defended pretty well in the first half and sent in a lovely early delivery which resulted in a chance for Hamer. Out of position for the second equaliser. 6.5

GUS HAMER: Covered acres of ground and enjoyed a number of early chances, the best of which saw a curling free-kick denied by a fingertip save. Gifted Stoke their equaliser when he gave away possession. 6.5

LIAM KELLY: Battled away in the middle of the park, helping to win plenty of possession but limped off injured on the half-hour after sliding into the far post with his knee. 6 SAM MCCALLUM: Got forward well and competed well but guilty of over hitting his crosses on occasions. City’s second goal came from his long throw. 7

H CALLUM O’HARE: Back in the starting line-up, he was busy from the first whistle chasing and pressing while also linking up nicely with the wing-backs in the final third. Set up Walker’s goal with a lovely square pass. 8

MATTY GODDEN: Felt he should have had an early penalty when taken out by the keeper and had a hand in the build up to Walker’s goal. 6

TYLER WALKER: Toiled away up top but didn’t get much change out of Stoke’s solid-looking and physical defence until O’hare unlocked the door and he hit a superb first touch finish to beat the keeper from 10 yards out. 7.5

SUBSTITUTES MATTY JAMES (30 mins, for the injured Kelly): Picked up where Kelly left off, providing plenty of experience in the middle of the park. 7

MAX BIAMOU (66 mins, for Godden): Scored with a far post tap-in after two minutes of being on the pitch. 7

VIKTOR GYOKERES (66 mins, for Walker): Worked incredibly hard and scored a lovely goal out of nowhere to win the game for the Sky Blues. 7 JOSH ECCLES (66 mins, for Hamer): 6.5

Subs (not used): Marko Marosi, Michael Rose, Jamie Allen, Jordan Shipley, Amadou Bakayoko.

STOKE CITY (3-5-2): Angus Gunn; James Chester (16 mins, for Connor Taylor), Danny Batth, Rhys Norrington-davies; Tommy Smith, Nick Powell, Jordan Thompson (H/T, for John Obi Mikel), Sam Clucas, Josh Tymon; Jacob Brown, Christian Norton (HT, for Steven Fletcher). Subs (not used): Adam Davies (GK), Sam Vokes, Jordan Cousins, Kieran Coates, Rabbi Matondo, Eddy Jones. GOALS: STOKE: Brown (58), Clucas (70)

SKY BLUES: Walker (44), Biamou (68), Gyokeres (78)

REFEREE: Oliver Langford.

NEXT UP: Preston North End (h) Saturday (3pm).