Stoke City’s Jack Butland endured a nightmare on Wednesday night.
Stoke City’s dismal start to the season continued on Wednesday night, as they were beaten 3-1 away at Preston North End.
The Potters have struggled early in the season after major summer changes, and they were undone once again in their trip to Deepdale.
Daniel Johnson’s early goal put Preston in front, with his strike from the edge of the box beating Jack Butland in a piece of poor goalkeeping from the Stoke stopper.
Butland’s night got even worse as he tried to deal with a long ball by Declan Rudd, and when Billy Bodin struck a low, tame shot from range, Butland somehow allowed the ball to squirm underneath his body and into the net.
More slack Stoke defending allowed Preston to make it 3-0, with Josh Harrop picking off Peter Etebo’s wayward pass and feeding Johnson, whose shot was saved by Butland but tucked home by Harrop on the rebound.
James McClean pulled one back for Stoke late on but Preston were deserved winners, and much of the conversation is now turning to the performance of Butland, as this isn’t his first nightmare display of the season.
Aston Villa wanted Butland over the summer but, as reported by Sky Sports, gave up on a move for him after being quoted £25million, and they signed Tom Heaton instead.
Villa fans unsurprisingly took to Twitter to react to Butland’s display, with many suggesting that Villa have dodged a bullet by avoiding a deal for Butland, with some even branding it Villa’s best move of the summer, feeling that Heaton is much better.
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