Premier League: Stoke City 1 Manchester City 1

Manchester City returned the top of the Premier League for the time being after a 1-1 draw with Stoke on Saturday.

England international striker Peter Crouch gave Stoke the lead with a stunning volley in the 59th minute.

In the 76th minute, Yaya Toure smashed in the equaliser from long range, but his shot was certainly helped by a slight deflection off Ryan Shawcross.

The match started tentatively with few chances, but Cameron Jerome went close in the 12th minute as he looked to get on the end of Crouch’s header, but his attempted bicycle-kick missed the ball.

As the match closed in on the half-hour mark the Stoke fans were yelling for a penalty as Kolo Toure barged Crouch to the floor to allow Joe Hart a chance to collect the ball at a corner, but Howard Webb was not interested.

City should have opened the scoring in the 34th minute. Samir Nasri cleverly played Gael Clichy down the line and the left-back whipped in an excellent cross to the far post, but Edin Dzeko could not get his header on target, when he should have forced Asmir Begovic into a save.

Soon after it was Pablo Zabaleta who should have scored, receiving a pass from Nasri as he marched into the right-side of the penalty area, but the Argentine took a touch rather than shoot first-time and Stoke cleared.

The pace quickened and the visitors were forced to clear off their goal line as half-time approached. Etherington’s left-footed corner eluded everyone, but Zabaleta was at the far post to hook the ball out from under the crossbar.

City carved open the Stoke defence early in the second half.

Dzeko got himself on the end of a long ball from midfield, and after taking it down he proceeded to take it round Begovic, but the Bosnian goalkeeper got enough on the shot to concede a corner.

Stoke almost had a reason to shout for themselves five minutes later as Whelan’s cross from deep was headed back across the goal by Jerome, but Hart blocked a combined headed effort from Jonathan Walters and Shawcross.

Stoke opened the scoring just before the hour, and what a strike it was.

Begovic smashed the ball up field, for Pennant to nod the ball back to Crouch, and the England international chested the ball down on to his knee and hit a stunning volley from the right hand side that dipped into the top far corner, leaving Hart no chance.

Stoke’s goal forced City to attack, but after Mario Balotelli was denied by Begovic, and Yaya Toure had a strike easily saved, they looked towards Carlos Tevez to work his magic from the bench.

With 15 minutes left, the visitors levelled, but it did not come through Tevez, rather Yaya Toure. The Ivorian let fly from about 35 yards and despite getting two hands to it, Begovic could not keep it out.

Replays suggest Shawcross deflected the strike slightly, therefore perhaps taking some of the blame off Begovic, but the Bosnian will be extremely disappointed with his effort.