Thierry Henry and Jamie Carragher were full of praise for Stoke City’s Joe Allen after his dominant display against Swansea City.
Stoke City’s Joe Allen in action with Swansea City’s Ki Sung Yueng
Sky Sports pundits Jamie Carragher and Thierry Henry were glowing in their praise for Joe Allen on Monday Night Football last night after Stoke City’s impressive 3-1 home victory over struggling Swansea.
The pair of Premier League greats went so far as to say Allen is the reason for Stoke’s successes this season and, after that performance against former club Swansea City, it is difficult to disagree.
The 26-year-old Welsh midfielder was instrumental last night at the Bet365 Stadium, laying on two goals for Wilfried Bony as the Potters comfortably beat a struggling Swansea side to go 12th in the table, level on points with AFC Bournemouth and champions Leicester City.
Stoke City’s Wilfried Bony scores their first goal
And both Henry and Carragher believe Allen has been the main man for Stoke this season.
Speaking on Monday Night Football, Henry said: “He is, I think, why that team is ticking at the moment. The passes, the late runs and he made the second goal for Bony. If he was any other player, everybody would have been saying ‘Wow, what a pass.’
“He is, at the moment, the key and the reason why that team is playing well.”
And Allen’s former Liverpool teammate Carragher was equally full of praise for the impressive Welshman: “A lot of the time we judge players on goals and assists. Joe Allen wasn’t really that type of midfield player at Swansea or Liverpool. He’d be the glue of the team in the centre of the pitch; feeding players, getting the team playing, getting the team ticking over.
“He’s someone who’s got a fantastic football brain and it’s been in evidence this season for Stoke. I think he’s been the main man for Stoke by a long way.”
Sky pundit Jamie Carragher played with Joe Allen in his final season at Liverpool
Stoke’s next game before the final international break of 2016 will see them travel down to the London Stadium to face West Ham United. After that, they host fellow mid-table side Bournemouth at home and the Potters will be hoping that Allen returns from Wales duty unscathed.
Joe Allen in action for Wales during Euro 2016
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
