Gary Rowett was quick to pour praise on his keep Jack Butland after his side secured a 1-0 victory against Bristol City.
The England keeper was in fine form as Stoke City picked up all three points to elevate themselves to 11th in the table. Lee Johnson's Robins were more than a match for their opponents, but Butland's wonderful performance kept them at bay.
The 25-year old has been linked with a move away from Stoke, but Rowett put that to once side to laud the impact he had on the outcome of the game.
"We expected that they would pin us in for a while because they needed to get on the front foot, especially with being the home side," he told the club's official website. “We expected that and defended really well as a result, but we have to thank Jack Butland today because he was absolutely outstanding when it really mattered."
Butland joined Stoke from Birmingham in 2013 and has made 103 appearances for them, as well as turning out nine times for England and Rowett went on to describe some of his saves as 'world class'.
“He made two world class saves, and we rode our luck a little bit, which I think we earned on the back of some resolute and incredibly gritty and determined defending. Jack showed why he is a top international today, and reminded everyone of how influential he is out there on the field."
The Verdict
Butland is a behemoth of a keeper to be in the Championship and there is bound to be interest from the top flight come the January window.
Stoke rode their luck at times and have their keeper to thank for all three points, not for the first time this season either. They'll miss him if he does move on, that is for sure.