Manager Sam Allardyce hailed his Hammers heroes after their fabulous comeback at Stoke.”

He said: “When you’re 2-0 down away from home anywhere in the Premier League, getting anything is a terrific comeback. For us, that’s what it had to be.

“It wasn’t that we weren’t trying, but we couldn’t get our passing game going – partly because of the conditions, and partly because Stoke were doing a good job on us.

“I always thought there was a goal in us. We changed the shape of the team and went for it, knowing we’d either lose 3-0 or get it back to 2-1, at which point Stoke might get nervous.

“Stewart Downing scored with his right foot. People think he’s all left foot, and he isn’t. We moved him into the middle from the wing, and he made a terrific difference.”