Stoke ended Liverpool's four-match unbeaten run and sealed a back-to-back victory following the midweek win against Birmingham that ended a run of five straight league defeats.
The Potters gave a performance of the season, showing grit and determination which the visitors have been more than lacking.
Especially the first half showed Stoke on top, dominating, nearly haunting the Reds, who showed no control, coordination or organisation.
The second half continued in the same trend and the first goal showed and reflected this:
Liverpool's box and back line was unable to clear the ball, scrambling around, ping-ponging around until Ricardo Fuller took advantage of the chaos and poked it home, through and past the crowd, firing Stoke in front deservedly so.
If it weren't for Jamie Carragher's goal line clearance, Martin Skrtel's hugging and wrapping cover and Pepe Reina's top-notch saves, the score line could have been so much worse!
Maxi Rodriguez came closest for Liverpool when his close-range effort was kept out by Asmir Begovic, the only close shout for the Reds.
Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres had a hardly noteworthy performance, with only a couple of semi-chances.
The skipper gave the ball away late on in the match and Kenwyne Jones connected to it, skipped past Skrtel, and fired it home past a stranded Reina.
To top it all off and add to the misery for Liverpool, Lucas Leiva was sent off in stoppage timee, seeing his second yellow of the day for a stupid tackle.
Stoke overtake Liverpool and are up to 10th whilst the Reds are still drifting and hovering around at 11th looking for some kind of form and coordination - Roy Hodgson needing to find the right change and solution, quickly!
Stoke: Begovic; Huth, Collins (booked 54), Shawcross, Wilkinson; Pennant, Whitehead, Delap, Etherington (Wilson 93); Jones (scored 90:02), Fuller (scored 55:12, booked 83, Walters 88).
Subs not used: Sorensen, Higginbotham, Whelan, Sanli, Gudjohnson.
Liverpool: Reina; Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Skrtel (booked 79);Meireles (Ngog 66), Gerrard, Maxi (Babel 73), Lucas (booked 58, 2nd yellow & off 92); Torres (booked 47), Kuyt.
Subs not used: Jones, Kelly, Poulsen, Shelvey, Jovanovic.
1st half stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Attempts: 8-4
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 1-0
Corners: 2-2
Free kicks: 5-4
Possession: 56%-44% (BBC HT)
2nd half stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Attempts: 6-4
On target: 2-1
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 2-1
Free kicks: 7-8
Sky Stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Possession: 39.7%-60.3%
Passing Success: 57.7%-69.4%
Tackles/Success: 19/78.9%-13/92.3%
Territorial Advantage: 56.7%-43.3%
Referee: Mark Halsey
Man of the match: Martin Skrtel
Subs not used: Sorensen, Higginbotham, Whelan, Sanli, Gudjohnson.
Liverpool: Reina; Konchesky, Kyrgiakos, Carragher, Skrtel (booked 79);Meireles (Ngog 66), Gerrard, Maxi (Babel 73), Lucas (booked 58, 2nd yellow & off 92); Torres (booked 47), Kuyt.
Subs not used: Jones, Kelly, Poulsen, Shelvey, Jovanovic.
1st half stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Attempts: 8-4
On target: 3-1
Offsides: 1-0
Corners: 2-2
Free kicks: 5-4
Possession: 56%-44% (BBC HT)
2nd half stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Attempts: 6-4
On target: 2-1
Offsides: 0-0
Corners: 2-1
Free kicks: 7-8
Sky Stats:
Stoke-Liverpool
Possession: 39.7%-60.3%
Passing Success: 57.7%-69.4%
Tackles/Success: 19/78.9%-13/92.3%
Territorial Advantage: 56.7%-43.3%
Referee: Mark Halsey
Man of the match: Martin Skrtel
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