Sunday 31 March 2013

Mirallas magic floors

                        
  Everton welcomed goalkeeper Tim Howard and Phil Jagielka back into their starting line-up and they were joined in the team by Nikica Jelavic as Moyes made three changes and opted for a 3-5-2 formation with Marouane Fellaini and Steven Pienaar suspended.Stoke selected centre-back Robert Huth after his three-game ban as he replaced the injured Matt Etherington, with the German helping the Potters go close to opening the scoring with just three minutes gone.The Belgian collected possession deep inside his own half as Howard fisted away a Stoke free-kick, wriggling away from the attentions of Steven N'Zonzi before switching on the after-burners and embarrassing Geoff Cameron as he turned the last defender inside and out before slotting under Begovic.Ryan Shotton's long throw into the box was met by Huth's head with Howard palming it away as he threw himself to his left, with Jon Walters, who lined up in midfield in Tony Pulis' 4-4-2 formation, scrambling his follow-up effort against the underside of the bar.Stoke continued to create decent openings after the interval with Huth's downward header from Whelan's free-kick in the 57th minute whistling the wrong side of Howard's upright, while Shotton could not control his chance at the far post soon after as Marc Wilson's cross flicked off Distin.Leighton Baines had come close to providing Jelavic with the ammunition to test Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic on more than one occasion before Everton took the lead courtesy of a majestic solo effort from Mirallas.

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