While it may not have felt like it at the time, Stoke's 1-1 draw with West Brom last Saturday was a positive result and one that Mark Hughes and the players will use as a platform to build on ahead of a tricky game against Manchester United on Sunday.
The Baggies' last-gasp equaliser was desperately disappointing, but Stoke were just minutes from their first clean sheet in months and with it a much-needed three points. Of course, some will rightly point to the fact that the players still can't manage to hang on in the final stages of a game, but their season's recovery is a process and that draw was a significant step on the road to getting there.