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Saido Berahino to hit form soon - Stoke star Peter Crouch
PETER CROUCH is convinced Saido Berahino will rediscover his golden touch.
Saido Berahino has yet to score for Stoke
Berahino, 24, missed a penalty and his replacement, veteran striker Crouch, 36, scored the winner.
It was the former West Brom striker’s fourth consecutive penalty miss and he has now gone 32 matches since his last goal, on February 27, 2016 – 583 days ago.
Crouch went 18 games without netting after signing for Liverpool in July 2005, so he has some sympathy with Berahino’s plight.
“I actually remember grabbing the ball off Steven Gerrard to take a penalty against Portsmouth and missing it,” said Crouch. “When I first signed for Liverpool, I was doing what the manager [Rafa Benitez] asked – he wanted me a bit more withdrawn.
“But I was used to playing right up there as the last man and getting on the end of things. So I started getting in the box more. It’s not rocket science – the more times you get in the box, the more opportunities you have.
Saido Berahino missed his fourth penalty in a row
Saido Berahino takes a break from football
He’s good enough to work things out
“Saido’s a box player and will score goals. He’s good enough to work things out and I’m sure he’ll start scoring.”
Mame Diouf glanced Stoke ahead from Xherdan Shaqiri’s corner in the 40th minute before Berahino’s spot-kick miss three minutes later.
Maya Yoshida volleyed the equaliser in the 75th minute, before Crouch, who had replaced Berahino five minutes earlier, tapped home from Maxim Choupo-Moting’s falling shot.
Berahino will continue fighting to score – after wrestling Shaqiri out of the way to take the penalty after he had been fouled by Virgil van Dijk.
“Shaqiri wanted to kill me – I had to fight him to take it!” said Berahino.
“I was fouled so he allowed me to take it. Of course I’d take another one but I don’t want to be greedy.
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