A 2-0 win against relegation-haunted Middlesbrough is just what the doctor ordered for Stoke City, but it took a brace from the excellent Marko Arnautovic to break a deadlock that, in the opening stages, threatened to last all afternoon.
It was a surprisingly open game, but one with little quality in the final third bar a moment of magic from the Austria international, who brought down a long pass perfectly to round the goalkeeper and open the scoring. A second would soon follow with Boro offering very little in way of a response as the Potters held on to make it eight matches unbeaten at the bet365 Stadium.