The former Nigeria captain helped the Potters grab their first league victory at bet365 Stadium this season
John Obi Mikel captained Stoke City to their first Championship victory at home this season with a 3-2 win over Brentford on Saturday.
The 33-year-old midfielder was handed the captain’s armband for the second straight match – after their 2-2 draw against Barnsley – in the absence of Ryan Shawcross and Joe Allen who are battling with injuries.
Mikel who has played every minute of Stoke City’s Championship games this season, played from start to finish as goals from Steven Fletcher, James McClean and Tyrese Campbell secured maximum points for the hosts at bet365 Stadium.
Brentford, however, tried to pull a late comeback with goals from second-half substitute Marcus Forss but his brace was not enough as Michael O’Neill’s men held on to the crucial win.
Mikel produced a solid performance in the middle of the park by completing the most interceptions for Stoke City (2) and he also completed the second-highest tackles (2) after Tommy Smith.
Saturday’s victory stretched the Potters’ unbeaten streak to seven matches across all competitions with their only loss of the season dating back to September 20 when Bristol City beat them 2-0.
Stoke City moved up to eighth in the Championship table with 12 points after seven matches.
Next up for Mikel and his teammates is a trip to Andre Ayew’s Swansea City for their Championship fixture on Tuesday.
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