Stoke win 1-0 at Everton

LIVERPOOL, England (AP):

Stoke City avoided their regular Europa League hangover with a hard fought 1-0 English Premier League win at Everton yesterday.

Defender Robert Huth's first goal of the campaign early in the game meant that Stoke recorded a victory after a European outing for only the second time this season.

Everton missed the chance to pick up a third successive league win, but could have had a penalty just before half-time and easily have had another after the break.

Apostolos Vellios made just his second start up front for Everton in place of Louis Saha and his club did not pose enough of a threat in the opposition penalty area despite dominating the second half.

Stoke rose five places to eighth, two points ahead of Everton.

Sunderland misses out

Meanwhile, incoming Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill saw his new team miss a penalty and surrender the lead as Steven Fletcher's late double gave Wolverhampton Wanderers a 2-1 win at Molineux yesterday.

O'Neill will officially take over as Steve Bruce's successor and watched on from the directors' box as Kieran Richardson put the Black Cats ahead early in the second half.

But after Sebastian Larsson saw his penalty saved by Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey, Fletcher struck twice in nine minutes to secure the points for the hosts.

Wolves leapfrogged Sunderland, who are now just one point and one place above the relegation zone.