Middlesbrough dropped into the Premier League relegation zone as Marko Arnautovic's first-half brace condemned them to a 2-0 defeat at Stoke.
Boro fell behind in the 29th minute through a fine strike from Arnautovic, who added a close-range finish three minutes before half-time.
The Teessiders, who are winless in 10 league matches and have failed to score in their last four, are down to 18th in the table, with Crystal Palace moving up to 17th, three points clear of them, with a win at West Brom.
Boro's major problem is goals -- they are the lowest scorers in the division with just 19 this season so far.