Stoke hero Allen confident of more goals

Joe Allen’s surprising rich vein of scoring means he has become Stoke City’s danger man this season and the Welsh midfielder believes he can maintain it for the rest of the campaign.

The summer signing from Liverpool netted four goals in last five games, including both in a crucial 2-0 win against Sunderland which gave the Potters their first Premier League win of the season.

Allen’s hot form has meant fans’ favourite Bojan has been kept on the bench, but Stoke are not missing the former Barcelona trickster.

Allen has forged a promising partnership with wingers Xherdan Shaqiri and Marko Arnautovic behind striker Wilfried Bony and he thinks the goals will continue to flow.

“Thankfully a few things have fallen for me and I’ve been lucky enough to put them away,” he said.

Photo by Steve Welsh/Getty Images

“The biggest reason for that is my position, I’ve been given a more advanced role in the last few games and naturally you’re going to find yourself popping up in goal-scoring areas.

“My position is the main reason, but we have some very creative players in the team who are providing those opportunities for me.

“I’ve always been critical of when I’ve previously played as an advanced midfielder about my goal-scoring return, which is why I’ve probably not played there more regularly.

“In the last few years I’ve played mainly as a holding midfielder, but I’m happy I’ve been given a licence to go further forward and affect games more positively.

“I think as I have got older my game has developed and hopefully I can keep this run going.”