Friday 26 December 2014 20:16, UK
Stoke midfielder Glenn Whelan admits his side may have been fortunate to be on the right side of a crucial decision during their 1-0 victory at Everton.
With the score 0-0 just after the half-hour mark, Stoke’s Jonathan Walters pulled back Leighton Baines when the Everton man seemed to have a clear goalscoring opportunity.
However, Walters only received a yellow card and Stoke got the only goal of the game three minutes later when Bojan scored from the spot.
Asked if Stoke were lucky that Walters was not red-carded, Whelan said: “Yes, I think so.
“I think if it was the other way around we would have been screaming for a red card, so maybe we were fortunate.
“They say these things even themselves out but I think even Jon himself will hold his hands up and I think we got away with one today.”
Everton were also aggrieved about the Stoke penalty, which was awarded after James McCarthy was ruled to have fouled Bojan.
But Whelan said: “He (Bojan) has taken on his man and got by him.
“I think he has taken him down. It probably wasn’t the worst foul you’ll ever see but, once it’s in the box, then you’re living dangerously and that’s what happened.
“For him (Bojan) to pick himself up and put it away like he did shows the great confidence he has got in himself, so it’s really pleasing for us.”
Whelan was delighted to start for Stoke and, asked if he felt he was playing for his future at the moment, he said: “Yes, definitely.
“I’ve always said that I’ll work hard and play as well as I can when I am in the team and it’s right to say that I’m playing for my future.
“If it’s not here then hopefully someone else is watching but I’ll just keep my head down and see what happens. That’s all I’ve done over the last seven years and I’ll keep doing it.”
