Stoke got back to winning ways with a comfortable 3-1 victory at struggling Sunderland in a contest that was ultimately decided by their excellent work in the first half.
A golden 20-minute period saw the Potters strike three times to end any hope of a positive result for the home side, with a number of Sunderland fans appearing to leave the ground before half-time.
Positives
It was a dominant performance, and the change of formation back to the 4-2-3-1 of old more than played its part. The tempo of the first half was particularly pleasing, with the players moving the ball around so much more quickly than they have for much of the season.