MISFIRING POTTERS FAIL TO HIT THE MARK

STOKE manager Michael O’Neill believes an easing injury list will make his Potters stronger in 2021 after their scoring struggles continued with a draw at Coventry.

- Michael Beardmore

It was Stoke’s third successive away stalemate, but they remain outside the play-offs only on goal difference, despite netting only four times in their past eight games.

They wasted a string of chances to see off the Sky Blues, Jordan Thompson firing wide from 12 yards and striking the crossbar from a similar range, while Steven Fletcher twice headed wastefully off-target, first when Nathan Collins headed a free-kick across goal and the second from a Tommy Smith cross.

But they kept a fourth consecutive clean sheet and, with Joe Allen returning off the bench after nine months out with an Achilles injury, O’Neill believes options are growing.