Resurgent Stoke City Star 'Enjoying' New Deeper Role After Difficult Last Few Years

Stoke City forward Saido Berahino has insisted that he is enjoying his new deeper 'number 10' role for the Potters after starting a third consecutive game in

Stoke City forward Saido Berahino has insisted that he is enjoying his new deeper 'number 10' role for the Potters after starting a third consecutive game in the Championship over the weekend as the club finally secured their first win since relegation in May.

For Berahino, who last scored a senior goal two and a half years ago in February 2016 while in action for West Brom and has never scored for Stoke, the heavy burden of his extraordinary drought is lessened by playing in a more creative role behind a central striker.

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The 25-year-old is more confident as a result, playing more minutes with each passing week, and while he believes he will score soon enough, finally getting on the scoresheet for the first time in forever isn't something that is actually worrying him.

The Stoke Sentinel quote the forward saying: "It's nice for me because it gives me a free role. I get to go into pockets where I can pick up the ball and be dangerous.

"I don't think a lot of people knew I had that in my game, but I've managed to show it in my three games and I'm feeling confident.

"I know the goal will come. The most important thing for me in that role is to create and I'm sure the goals will come. I'm not really worried about the goal. I know I haven't scored in a very, very long time, but to be honest that's at the back of my mind.

"As long as the team is winning and we are performing like that every week, I'll take that."

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Stoke's victory over Hull on Saturday has seen them rise to 17th, with a brief pause from league football for the EFL Cup next on the calendar this midweek, before Berahino faces former club West Brom when Championship action resumes at the weekend.