Both West Ham United and Stoke City had plenty of chances to score but neither side was able to break through in as they drew 0-0 in the Premier League clash at Upton Park.
Slaven Bilic's side were looking to get their challenge for a European spot back on track after a run of five games without a win since October 24, and they started on the front foot by testing visiting goalkeeper Jack Butland twice in the early stages through Cheikhou Kouyate and full debutant Michail Antonio.
Stoke gradually found a foothold in the match, however, and it was they who should have opened the scoring on 11 minutes when Marco van Ginkel missed a glorious chance as he could only scuff an effort wide from eight yards out after he had been found by Ibrahim Afellay.
© Getty Images
Both sides were causing the other problems in the final third, with Afellay and Bojan lively for the visitors and Antonio testing the Stoke defence on his first Hammers start, but they were let down by a combination of a poor final ball and lack of a telling finishing touch in front of goal.
Marko Arnautovic, who scored both goals in Stoke's 2-0 win over Manchester City last weekend, typified those struggles in the penalty area after half an hour when he could only side-foot wide from close range after being found by Glen Johnson's low cross.
The game descended into a midfield scrap as the first half began to come to a close, but the Irons started the second period in a similar fashion to the first as Kouyate's shot was blocked by Philipp Wollscheid and Andy Carroll's unorthodox header was turned away by Butland.
Antonio headed over and tested Butland with a powerful drive as he and West Ham looked to break through, but Stoke broke quickly downfield and Adrian was forced into his first save of the game to keep out Arnautovic's low strike.
Both sides hit the woodwork in the final quarter of the match as they hunted for a decisive opener, first when Arnautovic's free kick deflected off Kouyate and hit the bar before Zarate beat three players only to rattle the post with a fierce effort from the edge of the box.
© Getty Images
Butland and Adrian both produced vital stops in the closing stages as the game opened up, and Stoke cleared off the line twice in injury time, but there was to be no breakthrough as West Ham's winless run was extended to six.
Tom Nightingale
