Stoke 2-1 Bournemouth: Jon Walters and Mame Biram Diouf earn Mark Hughes' side first Premier League victory of the season as visitors' striker Callum Wilson is taken off on a stretcher

As Stoke celebrated an elusive first Premier League win of the campaign, Bournemouth were left contemplating an altogether more depressing statistic amid fears that Callum Wilson will become their third player this season to be sidelined with a serious knee injury.

The 23-year-old striker arrived at the Britannia Stadium as the top flight’s joint leading scorer with five goals in six games. He left on a stretcher 17 minutes into proceedings after twisting awkwardly under a challenge from Philipp Wollscheid.

Wilson briefly returned after receiving lengthy treatment on the pitch but collapsed in a heap, yards from any other player, just moments later and was carried off. 

Mame Biram Diouf came to Stoke's rescue as the forward headed home late in the second half to earn Mark Hughes' side an important win

Stoke's goalscorers Diouf and Walters celebrate after the former scored the winner against Bournemouth at the Britannia Stadium 

Diouf's second-half winner came just seven minutes after Dan Gosling found space in crowded penalty area to equalise for Bournemouth

The former Newcastle United midfielder celebrates his goal - but it was short lived after Stoke secured the three points late on

Stoke took the lead in the first half thanks to Walters who poked home following great wing play by forward Marko Arnautovic 

Walter prodded home in the first half for the hosts after beating former Everton defender Sylvain Distin (right) to the ball

Republic of Ireland international Walters (right) celebrates his opener with summer arrival Xherdan Shaqiri at the Britannia Stadium

The Stoke striker is mobbed by his team-mates after opening the scoring in their Premier League clash with newly-promoted Bournemouth

Bournemouth defender Steve Cook (right) looks dejected as the Stoke players celebrate their opener at the Britannia Stadium

MATCH FACTS, LINE-UPS, RATINGS, PREMIER LEAGUE TABLE AND MATCH ZONE

 

STOKE CITY: Butland 7; Johnson 6.5, Cameron 6, Wollscheid 5.5, Pieters 7; Whelan 6, Adam 7 (Van Ginkel 75, 6); Shaqiri 5.5 (Afellay 46, 6), Krkic 6.5 (Diouf 62, 7), Arnautovic 8; Walters. 

Subs: Given, Muniesa, Joselu, Crouch.

Scorer: Walters 32, Diouf 82

Booked: Whelan

BOURNEMOUTH: Boruc 5.5; Francis 6, Cook 6.5, Distin 7, Daniels 6; Pugh 7 (Smith 87), Gosling 6.5, Surman 6, Ritchie 7, Tomlin 7 (King 71, 6), Wilson 6 (Murray 17, 6.5). 

Subs: Federici, MacDonald, Bennett, Cargill.

Scorer: Gosling 76

Referee: Lee Mason 6

Star man: Marko Arnautovic

Stoke City forward Mame Biram Diouf scored the winner for his side late in the second half to earn Mark Hughes' side their first Premier League victory of the season. CLICK HERE for the full match zone

He left the stadium on crutches with his knee in a brace, and will undergo more tests over the next 48 hours to discover the severity of the injury.

Having already seen record £8m signing Tyrone Mings written off for the rest of the season, and other new arrival Max Gradel ruled out for six months, both with cruciate ligament injuries, it was not surprising that manager Eddie Howe feared the worst.

‘It’s unbelievable luck from our perspective,’ said Howe. ‘To get three serious injuries in one team, and to key players as well, is mystifying. 

‘It doesn’t look good for Callum at this moment in time. He felt he was okay to carry on and then collapsed in agony and that’s not a good sign. It looks like it could be another serious knee injury.’ 

Callum Wilson was taken off on a stretcher during Bournemouth's Premier League game with Mark Hughes' side on Saturday afternoon

Bournemouth and Stoke City players gather around the in-form striker as he receives medical treatment from a member of the team

The Bournemouth striker grimaces and lies on the Britannia Stadium after his clash with Stoke defender Philipp Wollscheid

Wollscheid attempts to speak to the former Coventry City striker as he receives oxygen in the first half of their game in the top flight

Wilson is taken off on a stretcher but the severity of the injury remains unclear following this first-half incident at the Britannia Stadium

Bournemouth star Matt Ritchie, who scored a stunner in last weekend's win over Sunderland, takes on Stoke winger Xherdan Shaqiri 

Howe insisted that it was the player’s decision to stay on saying: ‘Callum felt his knee was okay at that stage. You’re really in the hands of the player.

‘He wanted to stay on, such is his nature. The physios were aware there could be a potential injury and relayed their concerns to him but he felt he was able enough to carry on. Obviously it wasn’t the case.’

Howe admitted that Wilson’s departure knocked Bournemouth out of their stride for the remainder of the first half and Stoke took advantage in the 32nd minute. 

The impressive Marko Arnautovic got past Simon Francis down the left flank and kept his composure with a measured pass through the legs of Steve Cook for Jonathan Walters to stick out a leg and stab the ball home from close range.

Erik Pieters made an outstanding block to deny Matt Ritchie’s goalbound effort just before half-time, but Bournemouth re-emerged in more purposeful mood and fully deserved their equaliser in the 76thminute.

Ritchie squared a pass from the right to Marc Pugh whose effort from the edge of the box hit Glen Johnson and fell kindly for Dan Gosling. 

The midfielder was just onside and seized his chance, guiding the ball wide of Jack Butland from eight yards. 

Marko Arnautovic (left) looks to add to his assist for Walters as he surges forward for Stoke and attempts to take on Ritchie 

Bournemouth's summer arrival Lee Tomlin, who signed from Middlesbrough, is successfully challenged by Philipp Wollscheid

Former Inter Milan and Werder Bremen forward Arnautovic vents his frustration as Stoke hosted Bournemouth in the league

Bournemouth captain Simon Francis leaps high above Walters and wins the ball ahead of Stoke City's goalscorer 

The Cherries' forward Tomlin and Stoke City's midfield maestro Glenn Whelan vie for the ball in the middle of the park 

Faced with going a seventh league game in a row without a win, Stoke rallied and snatched the victory that lifts them out of the bottom three with a winner from substitute Mame Biram Diouf seven minutes from time.

A quickly-taken freekick in their own half caught Bournemouth off guard and the ball was played wide to Glen Johnson. His precise cross to the edge of the six-yard box picked out Diouf and Artur Boruc was unable to keep out the Senegal striker’s stooping header.

‘It was an important win,’ said Stoke boss Mark Hughes. ‘Today was about getting three points, and we got that off our backs.

‘We probably played with a bit of apprehension. We can play better but we’ll take the three points.’

Charlie Adam was a presence in the middle of the park for Stoke and the midfielder challenges Marc Pugh of Bournemouth

Stoke left back Erik Pieters and Scotland international Ritchie compete for the ball during the side's English top flight clash

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe watches from the touchline as his newly-promoted side take on Stoke City on Saturday afternoon

The former Burnley manager soon turns vocal on the touchline as he urges his side forward against their Premier League rivals