Stoke City boss makes honest admission after Sunderland win and explains the strategy that paid off

Stoke City's interim boss Ryan Shawcross admitted that his side rode their luck during the win over Stoke City but praised his players for their bravery in implementing his aggressive gameplan.

Shawcross was placed in charge just days before the game after the decision to dismiss Narcis Pelach just nineteen games into his tenure. Stoke started the game brightly and had some good openings, but Sunderland missed some huge chances across the 90 minutes and struck the woodwork twice. Tom Cannon's late strike then secured the points for the hosts, their first win since early November.

Shawcross said he was determined to get on the front foot on home turf and felt his side were ultimately rewarded for that even if they had endured some difficult moments over the course of the game.

"We rode our luck at times and it would be naive of me to say we didn't but I knew that would happen," Shawcross said.

"I wanted us to press and get after the ball and I knew if we got it slightly wrong they would cut through us because they're a really good team - but I just felt we would have opportunities. We did in the first 20 with Cannon and Lewis. I understood the risk but I'd rather risk and try to win than be boring. That was the plan. To be fair to the lads, in the day or so we've had, the've been really receptive to what I've asked and they executed it, for the majority of the game, really well.

"I did an in-house interview pre-match and I was asked about Sunderland and I said they're a good team, a young team... but straightaway in my mind I also thought, we're at home and at home it's a different mindset. It doesn't matter who's coming here, you can have a good go. If you have a good go, the fans will get behind you and that's when it becomes a fortress. That's what I was asking the players.

"There were moments when we played horrific passes and you can't work out what we're trying to do. Kicking balls out or misplacing passes. As well as Ash Phillips played, he had a moment in the first half when he passed it to their striker. But that's football. They're really, really young and they've gone through a load of emotions this season. You have to understand that. You can lean on the senior players, Wilmot was brilliant, Lynden helped us out, Wouter was top class. But it's a very young group and they will make mistakes but also because they're so young and a little naive they can keep going until the 93rd minute to try to score the winner. They don't get hurt by pressure."

Shawcross also praised Lynden Gooch after the former Sunderland man was brought into the starting XI at left back just minutes before kick off following an injury to Eric Bocat.

"It's never ideal but we've got a squad and it's the reason, when we have meetings, that everyone is in there," Shawcross said.

"Everyone knows what's required and it was an easy switch. Lynden Gooch came in and did a really good job.