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Crouch 'really pleased' to get to 100-goal milestone

Veteran striker Peter Crouch scored his 100th Premier League goal as Stoke were held to an entertaining draw at home to Everton.

Crouch, 36, applied a simple finish early in the first half to bring up his century almost 15 years on from opening his account for Aston Villa against Newcastle in April 2002 - a goal scored against his current Stoke team-mate Shay Given.

Everton equalised when Seamus Coleman, on his 200th league appearance for the Toffees, saw his cross-shot fly in off Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross.

The goal was initially ruled out for offside after Romelu Lukaku strayed beyond the last Stoke outfield player, but after a conversation between referee Craig Pawson and his assistant, the decision was reversed.

Stoke were incensed by the decision, their frustration no doubt compounded by the knowledge that they should already have been out of sight, with Crouch seeing a crisp volley flash just wide and Marko Arnautovic denied superbly by Joel Robles when one on one.

quote It was a bit stiff to be honest. It's been 10 years, I think I'll have to retire it. Weddings and parties only now Peter Crouch on breaking out the robot dance one final time

Both sides had chances to take all the points in the second half, with Stoke new boy Saido Berahino almost marking his debut off the bench with a goal only for Ramiro Funes Mori to head off the line, while Everton teenager Tom Davies saw a bullet header saved brilliantly by Lee Grant.

The stalemate sees Stoke move into ninth place on 29 points, while Everton - eight points better off - stay seventh.

Evergreen Crouch keeps on rolling

At 36 years and two days old, Crouch is oldest man to bring up a century of Premier League goals

Crouch has had a varied 20-year professional career, taking him from non-league football on loan with Dulwich Hamlet in 1999 all the way to a Champions League final with Liverpool in 2007.

He has played for 10 different clubs - including two separate spells at both Portsmouth and Tottenham - but while the surroundings have been ever-changing, the constant has been goals.

Crouch had hit 28 in the second tier for QPR and Portsmouth before he was handed a chance at the top level with Aston Villa in 2002. He marked his debut with a goal against Newcastle on the same day that Alan Shearer, on the opposing side, scored his 199th in the competition.

Fifteen years on, Crouch is still doing the business, and found himself in the right place to put Stoke ahead in the seventh minute, turning the ball home from six yards after Charlie Adam's long ball forward was brilliantly brought down and laid off by the influential Arnautovic.

Crouch's strike sees him become the 26th man to bring up 100 Premier League goals and further underlines the renaissance the former England striker has enjoyed in recent months.

Last season, Crouch appeared surplus to requirements, featuring in just 18 games and failing to score in the league, but this term he has repaid manager Mark Hughes' faith in spades, with seven goals in all competitions.

This match was a great duel between two in-form teams, with both contributing to the entertainment with 14 shots on goal each - Stoke managing seven on target and Everton five. The average positions of both sets of players underlines the wide-open nature of the match

Everton equaliser causes controversy

Everton had barely had a sniff of goal before they equalised towards the end of the first half, with Stoke far and away the dominant force in the match.

And when it arrived, the visitors' goal had more than a whiff of controversy about it.

The referee's assistant raised his flag after Coleman's shot struck Shawcross and flew into the net, but the reaction of Everton's players appeared to persuade referee Pawson to consult with his colleague, after which the goal was awarded.

Replays showed Lukaku had indeed strayed offside, but he was deemed not to be interfering with play - and the fact that the ball went in off a Stoke player no doubt helped the officials reach their decision.

Offside or not? The managers' view

Lukaku was offside for equaliser - Hughes

Stoke boss Hughes said Everton were "fortunate" to be awarded the goal but appeared to criticise his players for not quickly playing on when the offside decision was first given.

"In my view, Lukaku was offside," said Hughes. "He's made a movement to the ball and my understanding was if you do that you're offside, so we're a little bit aggrieved with that.

"We should have got the ball down and played on but we allowed Everton to surround the referee and reverse the decision."

Opposite number Ronald Koeman said: "I think the defender touches the ball and that makes it a goal.

"I can understand why Mark Hughes is frustrated. First the linesman flagged for offside and then it's a goal. It's a very difficult situation for the referee.

"But I think after the game, everyone knows 1-1 is a good result."

Man of the match - Charlie Adam (Stoke)

A majestic display by the Stoke midfielder. Adam sprayed the ball around effortlessly throughout and created his side's goal with a perfect ball into Arnautovic. He almost played in Crouch for his second of the night with a sumptuous floated cross and even managed to shoehorn in one of his trademark efforts from halfway that almost caught out Robles in the Everton goal

Everton's backline finally breached - match stats

Peter Crouch has scored in four of his last five Premier League games; this after a run of 21 appearances in the competition without a goal.

Marko Arnautovic has had a hand in 40 Premier League goals for Stoke City (19 goals, 21 assists) - 11 more than any other team-mate since his debut for the club in 2013.

Crouch's opening goal ended Everton's run of 301 minutes - just over five hours - without conceding in the Premier League.

Three of Ryan Shawcross' four own goals in the Premier League have come against Merseyside clubs (two against Everton, one against Liverpool)

Stoke City have scored the highest proportion of their goals in the first half of Premier League matches this season (59% - 17 out of 29).

'There are some fantastic players in that 100 club' - reaction

Stoke striker Peter Crouch: "You're not thinking about 100, you're just thinking about scoring for the team. It's great to get in, there's some fantastic players in that 100 club, players I look up to, and it's great for me personally.

"I was stuck on 96 for a while and it was frustrating because I wasn't playing. That spell I've had out, it's made me realised I don't want to be out of the side again."

Stoke manager Mark Hughes: "I thought we were the better team and had more clear-cut chances. Marko had a couple of real chances with one on ones and we didn't convert them."

On Crouch's landmark, he added: "Everybody talks about his personality and his character but above all he's an exceptional football player.

"It's fantastic. It's credit to him. Since he's come back into the side, he's been excellent. Everton found it very hard to cope with the unique threat he poses."

Stoke City 1-1 Everton: Koeman understands Hughes' 'annoyance' over equaliser

Everton manager Ronald Koeman: "We had some good chances in the second half but I think it's a fair result as the best chances in the first 45 minutes went to Stoke. Joel had to make two great saves.

"I'm really pleased about our performance today. It was a difficult start after going 1-0 down, but we had some good movement and chances."

What's next?

Both teams are back in Premier League action on Saturday at 15:00 GMT, with Stoke at West Brom and Everton at home to Bournemouth.